title: Insulin resistance in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Gülhane School of Medicine, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. bcomart@ttnet.net.tr
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Cömert
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Mas
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Erdem
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Dinc
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Saglamkaya
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cigerim
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Kuzhan
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Unal
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Kocabalkan
mesh_terms: 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