scholarly journals Predictive Role of Interleukin-18 in Liver Steatosis in Obese Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Flisiak-Jackiewicz ◽  
Anna Bobrus-Chociej ◽  
Eugeniusz Tarasów ◽  
Małgorzata Wojtkowska ◽  
Irena Białokoz-Kalinowska ◽  
...  

Introduction. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a proinflammatory cytokine associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be recognized as a feature of MS.Material and Methods. Serum IL-18 concentration was evaluated in serum of 108 obese children, determined with ELISA, and referred to degree of liver steatosis in USG or total intrahepatic lipid content assessed by magnetic resonance proton spectroscopy (1HMRS).Results. Fatty liver was confirmed in 89 children with USG and in 72 with1HMRS. IL-18 concentration demonstrated significantly higher values in patients than in controls. Significant correlations between IL-18 and ALT, GGT, triglycerides, hsCRP, and the degree of liver steatosis were demonstrated. NAFLD children had significantly higher level of IL-18, ALT, GGT, HOMA-IR, waist circumference, and total lipids content in1HMRS than other obese children. IL-18 level was also significantly higher in obese children with advanced liver steatosis. Measurement of serum IL-18 showed ability to differentiate children with fatty liver from those without steatosis.Conclusion. Elevated serum IL-18 concentration and its correlation with hepatocyte injury, systemic inflammation, and degree of liver steatosis support role in NAFLD pathomechanism. IL-18 can be considered to play a role in predicting advanced liver steatosis and fatty liver in obese children.

2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Romanowska ◽  
Dariusz M Lebensztejn ◽  
Elżbieta Skiba ◽  
Eugeniusz Tarasów ◽  
Maciej Kaczmarski

Obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia are the most significant risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but the role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of this disease is not clear. Assessment of retinol binding protein (RBP-4) seems to be promising because data from animal and human studies suggest its role in the pathomechanism of insulin resistance. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the serum levels of RBP-4 in children with NAFLD. Fasting serum level of RBP-4 was determined in 42 obese children with suspected liver disease and 20 lean controls. The degree of liver steatosis was graded in ultrasound according to Saverymuttu. The intrahepatic lipid content was assessed noninvasively in a semiquantitative fashion using ¹HMR spectroscopy (1.5-T scanner with PRESS sequence). Fatty liver was confirmed in 30 children by ultrasonography (16 of them had also increased alanine transaminase (ALT) activity). Serum concentrations of RBP-4 were significantly higher in obese children with NAFLD compared to controls. Significant correlations were found between RBP-4 level and ultrasonographic grade of liver steatosis, intrahepatic lipid content (¹HMRS) and triglycerides level, while the serum level of RBP-4 was not significantly higher in children with advanced liver steatosis (grade 2-3, n = 11) compared to patients with mild steatosis (grade 1, n = 19). The ability of RBP-4 to differentiate children with advanced liver steatosis from those with mild steatosis was not significant. RBP-4 can be considered as a convenient serum marker of intrahepatic lipid content in obese children.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Masarone ◽  
Valerio Rosato ◽  
Marcello Dallio ◽  
Antonietta Gerarda Gravina ◽  
Andrea Aglitti ◽  
...  

Liver steatosis without alcohol consumption, namely, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a common hepatic condition that encompasses a wide spectrum of presentations, ranging from simple accumulation of triglycerides in the hepatocytes without any liver damage to inflammation, necrosis, ballooning, and fibrosis (namely, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) up to severe liver disease and eventually cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathophysiology of fatty liver and its progression is influenced by multiple factors (environmental and genetics), in a “multiple parallel-hit model,” in which oxidative stress plays a very likely primary role as the starting point of the hepatic and extrahepatic damage. The aim of this review is to give a comprehensive insight on the present researches and findings on the role of oxidative stress mechanisms in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of NAFLD. With this aim, we evaluated the available data in basic science and clinical studies in this field, reviewing the most recent works published on this topic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (32) ◽  
pp. 3915-3927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Ballestri ◽  
Claudio Tana ◽  
Maria Di Girolamo ◽  
Maria Cristina Fontana ◽  
Mariano Capitelli ◽  
...  

: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) embraces histopathological entities ranging from the relatively benign simple steatosis to the progressive form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with fibrosis and an increased risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is the most common liver disease and is associated with extrahepatic comorbidities including a major cardiovascular disease burden. : The non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD and the identification of subjects at risk of progressive liver disease and cardio-metabolic complications are key in implementing personalized treatment schedules and follow-up strategies. : In this review, we highlight the potential role of ultrasound semiquantitative scores for detecting and assessing steatosis severity, progression of NAFLD, and cardio-metabolic risk. : Ultrasonographic scores of fatty liver severity act as sensors of cardio-metabolic health and may assist in selecting patients to submit to second-line non-invasive imaging techniques and/or liver biopsy.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e88005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerio Nobili ◽  
Guido Carpino ◽  
Anna Alisi ◽  
Rita De Vito ◽  
Antonio Franchitto ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fábio da Veiga Ued ◽  
Virgínia Resende S. Weffort

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on the importance of antioxidant vitamins, analyzed in the context of dietary intake, its plasma levels, and its current use as a supplementation treatment in obese children and adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. DATA SOURCES: The articles were identified in Lilacs, Ibecs, SciELO, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus databases. To conduct the survey, the "fatty liver" descriptor was associated to the following words: "children", "antioxidants" and "vitamins". The search was limited to articles written in Portuguese, Spanish and English, with publication date until December, 2012. DATA SYNTHESIS: Six studies were selected. The survey revealed a low dietary intake and low antioxidant vitamins serum levels in this population. The changes in lifestyle, with adequate dietary intake of vitamins, and the increase in physical activity were associated with a significant improvement in liver histology and in laboratory tests. Vitamin supplementation also improved the disease progression markers, as the alanine aminotransferase serum levels and the histological characteristics of lobular inflammation and hepatocellular damage. However, these improvements were not statistically significant in all studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to recommend or to refute antioxidant supplementation in patients with simple steatosis or steatohepatitis. The changes in lifestyle seem to be, at the present time, the more advisable therapy.


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