title: Serum amylase levels are decreased in Chinese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low serum amylase levels have been reported in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS), diabetes, and asymptomatic non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no study has yet indicated the serum amylase levels in NAFLD with MS. The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum amylase levels in NAFLD patients with and without MS, and to explore a possible association between serum amylase levels with the components of MS and the degree of hepatic fibrosis in NAFLD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study included 713 NAFLD participants (180 females and 533 males) and 304 healthy control participants (110 females and 194 males). The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on ultrasonography, and advanced fibrosis was assessed by the FIB-4 index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum amylase levels were significantly lower in NAFLD patients with MS compared with NAFLD patients without MS and healthy controls (42, 45, and 53 IU/L, respectively). The serum amylase levels of patients with elevated glucose, elevated triglycerides, and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol patients were significantly lower than in case of normal parameters (both p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a relative serum amylase level increase was an independent factor predicting advanced fibrosis (FIB-4 ≥1.3) in NAFLD participants (OR: 1.840, 95% CI: 1.117-3.030, p=0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with NAFLD patients without MS and healthy controls, serum amylase levels were significantly lower in NAFLD patients with MS. Moreover, a relative serum amylase increase may be an independent factor of more advanced hepatic fibrosis.
authors.forename: Jinmei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. tym2011@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Juanwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yani
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Huanle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases