The release of insulin in fatty liver.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the blood levels of lipids, insulin resistance and the release of insulin in the patients with fatty liver.


METHODS
Ninety one patients with fatty liver and forty seven healthy subjects were included in the study. The diagnosis of fatty liver was established by measuring blood levels of lipids and measuring liver echogenity by ultrasound. Fasting plasma levels of lipids, glucose and insulin were measured in the patient group and control group, and the rate of insulin resistance was calculated. HOMA test was used to calculate the insulin resistance. INSULIN RESISTANCE: Fasting insulin value (microU/mL) x Fasting blood glucose value (mmol/L)/22.5 Liver echogenity was measured by a 3.75 mHz ultrasound probe and was graded by comparison with renal cortical paranchymal echogenity in both groups. Increased blood levels of lipids and increased liver echogenity on the ultrasonography were accepted as fatty liver. Liver biopsy was not applied. The patients with liver and/or renal paranchymal disease were excluded from the study. The rate of release of insulin was calculated according to the following formula. 20 x plasma levels of insulin (mIU/mL)/plasma levels of glucose (mmol/L)-3.5


RESULTS
In the fatty liver group, plasma levels of cholesterol were 253.5 +/- 41.0 (161-440) mg/dL, plasma levels of triglycerides were 231.8 +/- 74.4 (45-493) mg/dL, grading of liver echogenity was 1.9 +/- 0.6 (1-3), the rate of release of insulin was 111.5 +/- 82.2 (3-463.8) and the rate of insulin resistance was 22.4 +/- 4.1 (18.3-26.5). In the control group, plasma levels of cholesterol were 173.4 +/- 19.1 (122-207) mg/dL, plasma levels of triglycerides were 110.5 +/- 39.3 (40-185) mg/dL, grading of liver echogenity was 1.0 +/- 0.1 (1-1), the rate of release of insulin was 129.6 +/- 84.1 (14.5-360) and the rate of insulin resistance was 20.3 +/- 2.1 (18.2-22.4). The rate of release of insulin and insulin resistance were similar in both groups (p>0.5).


CONCLUSIONS
We observed that the rate of release of insulin in the patients with fatty liver was not different from that of the healthy subjects.
Akçay
Müfide Nuran
MN
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Atatürk, Erzurum, Turkey.
Sari
Adem
A
Akçay
Güngör
G
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol