Insulin resistance in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
BACKGROUND
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a chronic liver disease that is capable of progressing to end-stage liver disease, but generally has a benign course. Obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia are the most common associations of the disease.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the insulin resistance in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis who have no other causes of insulin resistance such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidaemia.


METHODS
Thirteen patients (7 male, 6 female) with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and 12 (6 male, 6 female) healthy volunteers.


METHODS
All patients and healthy volunteers were submitted to biochemical tests and hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic insulin clamp technique.


RESULTS
Basal insulin levels and C-peptide levels were significantly higher in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group than in controls (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic insulin clamp technique revealed lower glucose utilization in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study revealed marked hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance may contribute to pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
Cömert
B
B
Department of Internal Medicine, Gülhane School of Medicine, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. bcomart@ttnet.net.tr
Mas
M R
MR
Erdem
H
H
Dinc
A
A
Saglamkaya
U
U
Cigerim
M
M
Kuzhan
O
O
Unal
T
T
Kocabalkan
F
F
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male