Study the level of selenoprotein P in Egyptian patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver

Abstract

ObjectivesThe study aims to evaluate circulating selenoprotein P levels in patients with the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease compared with healthy controls.BackgroundNonalcoholic fatty liver disease represents a spectrum of liver diseases with key stages consisting of nonalcoholic fatty liver, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and eventual cirrhosis. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects more than 20% of the population worldwide.MethodsThis is a case–control, retrospective study that was conducted on 72 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (cases), and 36 healthy volunteers without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or any chronic liver disease as controls. Ultrasonography of the liver of all patients will be done and performed by the same operator using a Toshiba Apilo XV scanner equipped with a broadband 3.5-MHz curved array probe to assess the presence of liver steatosis (bright liver), evaluation of the liver size, and focal region.ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference between groups regarding serum selenoprotein P with a higher level among healthy controls (P value < 0.001).ConclusionThe present study demonstrated that hepatokine selenoprotein P concentrations were decreased in patients with definite nonalcoholic steatohepatitis compared with controls but not different between controls, simple steatosis, and borderline nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.