Leptin in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Journal Title: Annals of Hepatology - Year 2008, Vol 7, Issue 3
Abstract
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent condition associated with obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Leptin plays a key role in the control of energy balance, and insulin sensitivity. In this study, we aimed to examine whether serum leptin levels correlate with insulin resistance, oxidative stress parameters and the severity of histological changes in NAFLD. Methods: Fifty-two patients (M/F: 28/24) with no alcohol intake and biopsy-proven diagnosis of NAFLD were studied. Serum leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. HOMA (homeostasis model assessment) IR index was calculated. Comparisons between the patients with NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were performed using the Student’s t test. Multivariate regression analysis and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to identify the independent predictors for NASH. Results: We found no association between serum leptin, fasting insulin levels, and oxidative stress parameters. ROC curve and multiple regression analysis revealed no association between the severity of histological changes and serum leptin levels. During six months followed-up period only NASH group with elevated leptin levels had significant reductions of ALT and AST values (p = 0.03, and 0.005, respectively). Conclusion: Our findings show a preventive effect of leptin against progressive liver injury in NAFLD.
Authors and Affiliations
Billur Canbakan, Veysel Tahan, Huriye Balci, Ibrahim Hatemi, Burak Erer, Gulsen Ozbay, Necdet Sut, Munire Hacibekiroglu, Nese Imeryuz, Hakan Senturk
Effectiveness of add-on Pegylated interferon alfa-2a therapy in a Lamivudine-treated patient with chronic hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) to anti-HBsAg (anti-HBs) antibody seroconversion is the best, final objective for all available chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatments. Unfortunately, this goal is rarely obt...
Pigmented hepatocellular adenoma with β-catenin activation: case report and literature review
Hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) are benign liver tumors recently characterized into 4 different types according to genetic, pathological and clinical features. The prognosis is not well established yet and malignant tran...
Statin use is not associated with liver related mortality
Background and Aim. Statins are commonly used medications for the treatment of dyslipidemia. Although there are reported cases of hepatotoxicity related to statins, very few are associated with severe course and liver fa...
Fighting Mortality in the Waiting List: Liver Transplantation in North America, Europe, and Asia
Liver disease is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Liver transplantation (LT) is the most effective treatment for end stage liver disease. Available resources and social circumstances have led to different ways of im...
Reversal of advanced fibrosis after long-term ursodeoxycholic acid therapy in a patient with residual expression of MDR3
Introduction. Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC-3) is a severe liver disorder associated with inherited dysfunction of multidrug resistance protein 3 (MDR3/ABCB4), which functions as a phospholip...