Glycoregulation disorders and alterations of C reactive protein in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinicopathological condition which ranges from simple steatosis and steatohepatitis to cryptogenetic cirrhosis. As insulinresistance plays a central pathogenetic role, NAFLD is regarded as the hepatic feature of the metabolic syndrome. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity are the conditions most frequently associated with NAFLD. Subclinical inflammation has been suggested as a possible connective mechanism between glycoregulation disorders and NAFLD. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of glycoregulation disorders (impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus) in patients with ultrasonographical certified NAFLD, and to determine medium levels ofC reactive protein in these individuals.


METHODS
The study was conducted on 104 patients with ultrasonographical certified steatosis, divided into two subgroups: simple steatosis and steatohepatitis, based on the elevation of hepatic enzymes. A control group of 100 subjects without ultrasonographical proof of hepatic steatosis had been used. Fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance test and C reactive protein levels were performed for each patient. Statistical analysis was based on student t-test and Hi-square test.


RESULTS
The prevalence of glycoregulation disorders was significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than in controls (p < 0.05). Patients with steatohepatitis had a significantly higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus than those with simple steatosis. Medium levels of C reactive protein were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than in controls, respectively in subjects with steatohepatitis than in those with simple steatosis.


CONCLUSIONS
NAFLD is at risk for developing glycoregulation disorders compared with controls; the severity of liver damage is correlated with an augmentation in the severity of glycoregulation disorders. Patients with NAFLD have higher levels of C reactive protein compared with controls, the medium levels C reactive protein increasing with an increase in hepatic damage.
Casoinic
F
F
IVth Medical Clinic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. fcassoinic@yahoo.com
Sâmpelean
D
D
Badău
Cătălina
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography
D002097:C-Reactive Protein