Combined Adiponectin Deficiency and Resistance in Obese Patients: Can It Solve Part of the Puzzle in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
BACKGROUND
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent cause of liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis in obese patients identifies the risk group with increased incidence of liver-related deaths.


OBJECTIVE
To clarify the role of serum adiponectin and its receptor liver gene expression in the progression of liver damage in NAFLD.


METHODS
Fifty four (54) obese patients with NAFLD preliminary diagnosed by liver ultra-sound were recruited. Full medical history, anthropometric measurement, biochemical studies, serum adiponectin level, liver biopsy for histological examination and NAS score to identify NASH patients, and assessment of adiponectin receptor gene expression by RT-PCR, were conducted for each patients. Fifteen ages matched average weight healthy adult had been chosen as a control for serum adiponectin level.


RESULTS
According to NAS score, patients were divided into non- NASH (8 patients), and NASH (46 patients). Serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in NAFLD patients compared to normal participants (p < 0.004). Serum adiponectin level was lower in NASH patients (4.437 ± 2.569 ng/dl in NASH vs. 5.138 ± 2.841 ng/dl in non-NASH). Adiponectin receptor liver gene expression was lower in NASH patients (0.8459 ± 0.4671 vs. 1.0688 ± 0.3965 in non-NASH).


CONCLUSIONS
Both adiponectin deficiency and resistance had a role in progression of simple liver steatosis to severe injury in obese patients.
Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Internal Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
Salman
Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Internal Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
Mona
M
Hegazy
Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Internal Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
Soheir
S
AbdElfadl
Combined adiponectin deficiency and resistance in obese patients; can it solve part of the puzzle in NASH