title: Carotid intima-media thickness is predicted by combined eotaxin levels and severity of hepatic steatosis at ultrasonography in obese patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a distinct coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor. The atherosclerotic process predisposing to CAD includes altered lipid profile and inflammatory processes. The available evidence suggests that increased circulating levels of eotaxin, an eosinophil chemoattractant cytokine implicated in allergic responses, are detected in the serum of patients with CAD. Relationships were sought between serum eotaxin on the one hand, and intima-media thickness--an early predictor of the atherosclerotic process, hepatic steatosis, arterial blood pressure values, as well as inflammation/immune markers and angiogenetic factors--on the other.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty obese patients with NAFLD, diagnosed at ultrasonography, without evident cytolysis, formed our study population. Anthropometric measures, metabolic profile, serum concentrations of interleukin-1β, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, ferritin, TNF-α, spleen size, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor-BB and heat shock protein-70 were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum eotaxin concentrations were distinctly associated with TNF α, IL-6, IL-1β, VEGF and PDGF-BB levels but not with CRP, fibrinogen, heat shock protein-70 or spleen size. Among the metabolic and anthropometric parameters, a significant predictive power emerged when comparing eotaxin to insulin resistance, expressed as HOMA. NAFLD was distinctly associated with HOMA (P = 0.0005). Intima-media thickness was well predicted by both eotaxin levels and severity of NAFLD at ultrasonography, although no relation was detected between these last two variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A role for insulin resistance in mediating the interplay between eotaxin and other inflammation/immune parameters could be evidenced in the induction/maintenance of atherosclerosis of obese patients with NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Naples, Italy; Centro Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano, Istituto Nazionale Per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano, Istituto Nazionale Per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.affiliation: Center of Obesity and Eating Disorders, Stella Maris Mediterraneum Foundation, Chiaromonte, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finelli
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano, Istituto Nazionale Per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano, Istituto Nazionale Per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guerriero
authors.affiliation: Center of Obesity and Eating Disorders, Stella Maris Mediterraneum Foundation, Chiaromonte, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicolina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: La Sala
authors.affiliation: Center of Obesity and Eating Disorders, Stella Maris Mediterraneum Foundation, Chiaromonte, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gioia
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Oncologiche di Mercogliano, Istituto Nazionale Per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori "Fondazione Giovanni Pascale", IRCCS, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D019742:Chemokines, CC