The relationship between serum leptin and hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum leptin and hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).Methods A total of 80 adult patients with untreated CHC were divided into hepatic steatosis group ( n =8 ) and no-steatosis group ( n =72 ),26 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) patients as controls.The serum leptin levels and other serum biochemical indicators were detected.Results The serum ALT and AST levels in CHC with hepatic steatosis were significantly higher than those in NAFLD (t =2.10,P ＜ 0.05 ; t =3.56,P ＜ 0.05 ),while the serum total cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol,apolipoprotein - A and B were significantly lower than in NAFLD ( t =-2.78,P ＜0.05 ; t =-3.23,P ＜ 0.05 ;t =-3.81,P ＜ 0.05 ; t =-2.76,P ＜ 0.05 ).But the difference of serum leptin level between CHC with hepatic steatosis and NAFLD was not significant ( t =-0.30,P ＞ 0.05 ).There were no significant difference in the serum ALT and AST levels,blood glucose levels,serum triglyceride levels,serum total cholesterol levels,serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels,apolipoprotein(APO)-A and APO-B levels,homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance( HOMA-IR),HCVRNA titer,serum leptin levels,or the BMI between two groups of CHC( t =-1.25,0.29,0.16,-0.53,0.90,1.58,1.93、0.40、0.24,-0.84,-0.05、-0.91,respectively,all P ＞0.05).The serum leptin level was related to the gender,which was significantly higher in female patients than that in male patients( t =2.22,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion The degree of liver inflammation in CHC with hepatic steatosis is more serious than in NAFLD,while the degree of abnormal cholesterol metabolism is less than in NAFLD.The level of serum leptin in female patients is significantly higher than that in male patients.Hepatic steatosis in CHC is not related to the levels of serum leptin. Key words: hepatitis C,chronic; hepatic steatosis; leptin