Factors affecting the serum levels of adipokines in Korean male patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
Adipokines are associated with various metabolic disorders including insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Metabolic disorders have also been reported to be associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the serum adipokine levels and the degrees of hepatic fat infiltration in NAFLD. This study also attempted to determine the independent factors influencing the serum adipokine levels in NAFLD.


METHODS
Sixty-five Korean male patients were enrolled in this study. The degree of hepatic fat infiltration was classified into the following three groups according to the ultrasonographic findings: Group I, normal liver; Group II, mild fatty liver; and Group III, moderate to severe fatty liver. The anthropometric parameters, fasting serum adipokine levels including leptin, adiponectin and resistin were measured in all subjects. The level of insulin resistance was estimated using the HOMA-IR.


RESULTS
The serum leptin levels increased with increasing degree of hepatic fat infiltration (mean +/- SD: Group I, 2.052 +/- 1.071; Group II, 2.879 +/- 1.016; and Group III, 4.457 +/- 1.965 ng/mL, P < 0.001). However, the serum adiponectin and resistin levels were similar. The fasting serum insulin level was only a related factor for the changes in the serum leptin levels (P = 0.004). There were no related factors for the change in the serum adiponectin and resistin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests an indirect role for leptin in the pathogenesis of NAFLD by inducing insulin resistance, resulting in increased fasting serum insulin level.
Cho
Yong Kyun
YK
Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine Seoul, Korea. choyk2004.cho@samsung.com
Lee
Won Young
WY
Oh
Se Yong
SY
Park
Jung Ho
JH
Kim
Hong Joo
HJ
Park
Dong Il
DI
Sohn
Chong Il
CI
Jeon
Woo Kyu
WK
Kim
Byung Ik
BI
Kim
Sun Woo
SW
Oh
Ki Won
KW
Yun
Eun Joo
EJ
Oh
Eun Sook
ES
D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D054392:Adipokines