Is adiponectin level a predictor of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in nondiabetic male patients?
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin is a hepatic insulin sensitizer and also an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor. We studied its levels in nondiabetic patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and compared with control group.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients who had elevated serum aminotransferase levels with bright liver and 34 healthy volunteers without liver disease were evaluated. Age, gender and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, adiponectin, proinsulin and lipid profile were measured. A standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with insulin response was performed and the index of insulin resistance was calculated according to the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) method.


RESULTS
According to the OGTT results, none of the participants had diabetes. Serum adiponectin levels were statistically significantly lower in patients with NAFLD than in control group (8.14+/-3.4 microg/mL vs 12.4+/-9.4 microg/mL, respectively, P<0.01). A statistically significant correlation was found between adiponectin and BMI (r : -0.33, P<0.01), HOMA (r : -0.26, P<0.05), proinsulin (r : -0.32, P<0.01), AST (r : -0.25, P<0.05), ALT (r : -0.26, P<0.05) or GGT (r : -0.22, P<0.05). In multiple regression analysis models, adiponectin levels were the only predictor of NAFLD in males, whereas in female group it was the BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Low adiponectin level might be a predictor of NAFLD especially in male nondiabetics.
Sargin
Haluk
H
Department of Endocrinology, Kartal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Sargin
Mehmet
M
Gozu
Hülya
H
Orcun
Asuman
A
Baloglu
Gülcan
G
Ozisik
Murat
M
Seker
Mesut
M
Uygur-Bayramicli
Oya
O
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis
D052242:Adiponectin; D007328:Insulin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases