title: Concentrations of connective tissue growth factor in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: association with liver fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the histological fibrosis stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and serum connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) to determine the usefulness of this relationship in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were collected from 51 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 28 healthy controls, and serum levels of CTGF were assayed by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of CTGF were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD compared with controls (P=0.001). The serum CTGF levels were significantly increased, that correlated with histological fibrosis stage, in patients with NAFLD [in patients with no fibrosis (stage 0) 308.2 ± 142.9, with mild fibrosis (stage 1-2) 519.9 ± 375.2 and with advanced fibrosis (stage 3-4) 1353.2 ± 610 ng/l, P < 0.001]. Also serum level of CTGF was found as an independent predictor of histological fibrosis stage in patients with NAFLD (β = 0.662, t=5.6, P <0.001). The area under the ROC curve was estimated 0.931 to separate patients with severe fibrosis from patients with other fibrotic stages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of CTGF may be a clinical utility for distinguishing NAFLD patients with and without advanced fibrosis.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. dryasarcolak@yahoo.com
authors: Yasar
authors: Y
authors: Colak
authors: Ebubekir
authors: E
authors: Senates
authors: Ender
authors: E
authors: Coskunpinar
authors: Yasemin Musteri
authors: YM
authors: Oltulu
authors: Ebru
authors: E
authors: Zemheri
authors: Oguzhan
authors: O
authors: Ozturk
authors: Levent
authors: L
authors: Doganay
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Mesci
authors: Yusuf
authors: Y
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Feruze Yilmaz
authors: FY
authors: Enc
authors: Safak
authors: S
authors: Kiziltas
authors: Celal
authors: C
authors: Ulasoglu
authors: Ilyas
authors: I
authors: Tuncer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
chemical_list: D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor