title: Fatty Liver Index Associates with Relative Sarcopenia and GH/ IGF- 1 Status in Obese Subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently the association between hepatic steatosis and sarcopenia has been described. GH/IGF-1 axis has been postulated to play a role in linking fatty liver and low muscle mass. The aim of our study was to explore the association between fatty liver index, sarcopenic obesity, insulin sensitivity, and GH/IGF-1 status.
  
  
  METHODS
  427 subjects [age: 45.65±13.94 years, BMI: 36.92±6.43 kg/m2] were enrolled. Participants were divided into three groups: fatty liver index (FLI) <20, 20≥FLI<60, and FLI≥60. Body composition was assessed by DXA. The truncal fat mass (TrFM) to appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) ratio was used as an indicator of sarcopenic obesity. ISI-Matsuda index was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI, fat mass, and the TrFM/ASM ratio were higher in subjects with FLI≥60. GH, IGF-1 and ISI-Matsuda were lower in the high FLI group (all p<0.05). A significantly positive correlation between FLI and TrFM/ ASM ratio (r = 0.221, p<0.001) was found, whereas FLI levels were negatively correlated with ISI- Matsuda (r = -0.335, p<0.001), GH (r = -0.200, p = 0.006), and IGF- 1 levels (r = -0.157, p = 0.028). Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that GH levels were significantly negatively correlated with FLI, while the TrFM/ ASM ratio was positively associated with FLI, after adjustment for age, BMI, total fat mass, truncal fat mass, fat- free mass, and ISI- Matsuda.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impairment of GH/IGF-1 axis seems to be associated to the risk of the development of sarcopenic obesity and ectopic fat deposition in the liver. Metabolic and hormonal derangements as determinants of ectopic fat deposition and body composition deserve to be evaluated in obese subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poggiogalle
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lubrano
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gnessi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine- Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Donini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I