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- Title
Elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations as a predictor of steatohepatitis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Authors
Gulsen, Mustafa; Yesilova, Zeki; Bagci, Sait; Uygun, Ahmet; Ozcan, Ayhan; Ercin, C. Nuri; Erdil, Ahmet; Sanisoglu, S. Yavuz; Cakir, Erdin ç.; Ates, Yuksel; Erbil, M. Kemal; Karaeren, Necmettin; Dagalp, Kemal
- Abstract
Although steatosis is common in patients with severe hyperhomocysteinemia due to deficiency of cystathionine β-synthase, there are no satisfactory data on homocysteine concentrations in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of plasma homocysteine concentrations in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Seventy-one non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients, 36 patients with chronic viral hepatitis and 30 healthy persons were enrolled in the study. Homocysteine levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Insulin, folate, vitamin B12 and lipoprotein levels were also determined in all groups. Homocysteine in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group was found to be significantly higher than other groups. Homocysteine was found to be significantly higher in the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis group when compared with simple steatosis group. A positive correlation was found between homocysteine and triglyceride, very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, insulin, and index of insulin resistance in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group, and a negative correlation was found between homocysteine and folate, or vitamin B12 in all groups. The homocysteine threshold for the prediction of steatohepatitis was 11.935 ng/mL. Furthermore; plasma homocysteine was a statistically significant predictor for severity of necroinflammatory activity in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The plasma homocysteine concentrations were significiantly higher in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, while the concentrations were not affected by chronic viral hepatitis. Plasma homocysteine is a parameter for discriminating steatohepatitis from simple steatosis. Determining the plasma homocysteine concentrations may facilitate selection of steatosis patients in whom a liver biopsy should be performed. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
- Subjects
HOMOCYSTEINE; FATTY liver; LIVER diseases; INSULIN; LOW density lipoproteins; LIVER biopsy
- Publication
Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2005, Vol 20, Issue 9, p1448
- ISSN
0815-9319
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1440-1746.2005.03891.x