Independent and opposite associations of trunk fat and leg fat with liver enzyme levels.
BACKGROUND
In contrast to trunk fat mass (TFM), which is associated with cardiovascular risk markers, leg fat mass (LFM) displays independent protective effects against atherosclerosis. Little is known about the respective influence of central and peripheral adiposity on liver enzyme levels.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the respective influence of TFM and LFM on alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels, and to test whether LFM might protect against an increase of liver enzyme levels.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study on 1442 patients (women: 1155; men: 287) referred for overweight/obesity over 3 years. Body composition was analysed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The relationships among liver enzymes, age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), biological indices and body composition were studied.


RESULTS
The mean BMI was 39.7 +/- 7.9 kg/m(2) in women and 38.2 +/- 6.6 kg/m(2) in men. In women, after adjustement for confounding factors, ALT, AST and GGT were negatively and independently correlated with LFM and positively with TFM. Similar independent associations were observed for ALT and AST in men. The strongest associations were found for ALT in both women and men.


CONCLUSIONS
As observed for cardiovascular risk factors, LFM and TFM are inversely and independently correlated with liver enzyme levels in obese patients. LFM may confer independent protective effects against obesity-associated liver damage.
Perlemuter
Gabriel
G
AP-HP, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Service d'hépato-gastroentérologie, Clamart, France. gabriel.perlemuter@abc.aphp.fr
Naveau
Sylvie
S
Belle-Croix
Frédéric
F
Buffet
Catherine
C
Agostini
Hélène
H
Laromiguière
Muriel
M
Cassard-Doulcier
Anne-Marie
AM
Oppert
Jean-Michel
JM
D000005:Abdomen / Q000502:physiology*; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000886:Anthropometry; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase