title: Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is an intracellular lipid transporter that mediates metabolically triggered inflammation, and it is associated with insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate A-FABP behavior in elderly people, and especially its association with liver steatosis at abdominal ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of two cohort of individuals with and without steatosis, with assessment of several clinical and laboratory variables. Prospective evaluation of liver steatosis remodeling after six years of follow-up. One hundred and fifty-six subjects aged over 65 years were enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum A-FABP positively correlated with body fat percentage, total cholesterol, serum triglycerides and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Unlike expected, high A-FABP levels were associated with absence of liver steatosis, while there was no evidence of association with steatosis grade changes after 6 years of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among individuals aging more than 65 years included in the study, A-FABP was inversely associated with liver steatosis. It can be argued, that still uncovered mechanisms modify A-FABP behavior in elderly people, especially its association with multifactorial diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, via Albertoni 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy, marco.masetti3@studio.unibo.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masetti
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Giordano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovagnoli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vizioli
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C493410:FABP4 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D008055:Lipids