title: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease severity, central fat mass and adinopectin: a close relationship.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the general population. Overweight is a common condition in patients with NAFLD, and body composition (BC) assessment is useful to evaluate nutritional status and the efficacy of nutritional strategies. A valid tool for assessing BC is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Adiponectin has been shown to be relevant to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. The aim of this observational study is to define the relationship between the severity of NAFLD, the central fat mass evaluated by DXA, and the circulating levels of adiponectin.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in 31 overweight patients. The degree of liver steatosis was evaluated by ultrasound (US) examination. Anthropometric parameters were measured according to standard methods. Fasting glucose and insulin level were used also to calculate insulin resistance (IR), according to the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique was performed to dose fasting serum levels of adiponectin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NAFLD progression was signiﬁcantly associated with increased central fat (p<0.05). Using DXA, we quantified the regional distribution of adipose tissue and found the expected association between central fat and the US severity of NAFLD. Serum levels of adiponectin, were inversely related to NAFLD progression (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BC evaluated by anthropometry and DXA, may be used as indicator of NAFLD severity in overweight patients. The evaluation of BC in clinical practice, can improve the nutritional strategies and follow-up. In the clinical setting adiponectin may represent a potential marker for the staging of NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy; Division of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abenavoli
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DI Renzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro Hiram
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Guzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Molinette Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Rinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pellicano
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milic
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DE Lorenzo
keywords: adiponectin; body composition; central obesity; insulin resistance; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease