title: Preliminary evidence of a reduced serum level of fibroblast growth factor 19 in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether serum concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) - an ileum-derived enterokine which plays a role in the control of glucose and lipid homeostasis - are altered in patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of FGF19 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 91 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 74 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FGF19 levels were significantly lower in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD (median: 130pg/mL) than in controls (median: 210pg/mL, P<0.001). Serum FGF19 levels were significantly but modestly associated with hepatocyte ballooning scores in univariate analysis (r=-0.25, P<0.05) but not after adjustment for potential confounders (β=-0.18; t=1.78, P=0.08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study suggests that serum FGF19 levels are decreased in patients with NAFLD but are not independently associated with liver histology findings.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, Maltepe, 34840, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ermis
authors.forename: Ozlen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Atug
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imeryuz
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors