title: Leptin, insulin resistance, and liver fibrosis in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Data from animal models of fibrosis and fatty liver suggest that leptin may mediate the profibrogenic responses in the liver, but the association of leptin and liver fibrosis in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains undefined. We aimed at determining the relation between leptin and liver fibrosis in human NAFLD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human plasma leptin and several indicators of insulin resistance were measured in 88 NAFLD patients and matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leptin levels were significantly greater in patients with more advanced fibrosis (P = 0.005). By multivariate analysis, the significant association between leptin and fibrosis was abolished (adjusted P = 0.3) when controlling for confounders including age, gender, BMI, diabetes and insulin resistance. Only age (adjusted P = 0.006) and insulin sensitivity (adjusted P = 0.04) correlated significantly with fibrosis stage. A second liver biopsy was performed in 39 out of the 88 patients at 27.9 +/- 16 months. Leptin levels were not significantly different between patients who had fibrosis progression (n = 10) and those who did not (n = 29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In human NAFLD, no relationship between leptin levels and fibrosis stage was demonstrated. The correlation of leptin and fibrosis severity seems to be an indicator of the factors that determine leptin production.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55095, USA. angulohernandez.paul@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Angulo
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alba
authors.forename: Lydia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Petrovic
authors.forename: Leon A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lindor
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin