Table 2.
Changes in liver enzymes, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance after three months
| Parameters | Time of assessment | NAC group (n = 25) |
Control group (n = 26) |
p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ALT (U/L) Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 22 (15–31) | 22.5 (18–30) | 1 a | |
| After 3 months | 23 (18–26) | 21 (17–30) | 1 a | ||
| p-value | 1 c | 1 c | |||
|
AST (U/L) Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 25 (21–30) | 25 (18–34) | 1 a | |
| After 3 months | 26 (22–28) | 25.5 (23–29) | 1 a | ||
| p-value | 1 c | 1 c | |||
|
MDA (nmol/ml) Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 7 (5.4–13) | 6.9 (4.3–11.4) | 1 a | |
| After 3 months | 5.9 (5 -14.1) | 8.9 (5 -12.7) | 1 a | ||
| p-value | 1 c | 1 c | |||
| Percent change | 0 ((-21.6) – 14.5) | 0 ((-4.7)- 30.5) | 0.249 a | ||
|
Leptin (ng/ml) Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 1.6 (0.8 -2) | 1.3 (0.8–1.8) | 1 a | |
| After 3 months | 0.9 (0.7–2.1) | 1.2 (0.8-2) | 1 a | ||
| p-value | 0.612 c | 1 c | |||
| Percent change | -12.5 ((-25) − 0) | -9 ((-20) -16.67) | 0.406 a | ||
|
Hb A1c (%) Mean ± SD |
Baseline | 5.6 ± 0.5 | 5.5 ± 0.5 | 1 b | |
| After 3 months | 5.3 ± 0.7 | 5.3 ± 0.6 | 1 b | ||
| p-value | 0.148 d | 0.116 d | |||
|
Fasting insulin (µIU/ml) Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 9.9 (5.5–31.1) | 5.3 (4.3–12.9) | 0.288 a | |
| After 3 months | 6.4 (4–24) | 4.9 (4 -9.6) | 0.812 a | ||
| p-value | 1 c | 0.748 c | |||
| Percent change | -18.5 ((-44.2) – 3.3) | -6.1((-47.8) -17.9) | 0.792 a | ||
|
FBG (mg/dl) Mean ± SD |
Baseline | 103.5 ± 17.9 | 113.3 ± 22.9 | 0.380 b | |
| After 3 months | 109.4 ± 17.4 | 113 ± 15.7 | 1 b | ||
| p-value | 0.704 d | 1 d | |||
|
HOMA-IR index Median (IQR) |
Baseline | 2.1 (1.5–7.3) | 1.4 (1.2–3.3) | 0.620 a | |
| After 3 months | 1.9 (1.1–6.8) | 1.2 (1- 2.4) | 1 a | ||
| p-value | 1 c | 0.912 c | |||
| Percent change | -17.4 ((-47.6) -33.6) | -9.1 ((-43.9) -28.6) | 1 a | ||
All p-values were corrected using Bonferroni adjustment
AbbreviationsALT Alanine Aminotransferase, AST Aspartate Aminotransferase, FBG Fasting Blood Glucose, Hb A1c Glycated Hemoglobin, HOMA-IR Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance, MDA Malondialdehyde, NAC N-Acetyl Cysteine
* Level of significance p ˂0.05
Statistical tests; a, Mann-Whitney Test; b, Independent samples t-test; c, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test; d, Paired T-Test