Table 3.

Associations of SHH, GLI2, and K7 staining with histologic features of NAFLD

	N	Ballooning grade			Fibrosis stage
		G0	G1–2	P-value	S0–2	S3–4	P-value
SHH+ bile ducts/ductules	15	2[1, 2]	1[0, 2]	NS	2[0.5, 2]	1.5[1, 2]	NS
% PTs with SHH+ periportal hepatocytes	16	53%[3%, 97%]	0%[0%, 19%]	0.061	12.5%[0%, 55%]	89%[13%, 100%]	0.086
Intensity of SHH+ staining in periportal hepatocytes	16	1.5[0.3, 2]	0[0, 0.8]	0.061	0.5[0, 1.8]	2[1, 2]	NS
K7 proliferation score	25	2[1, 3]	2.5[1.3, 3]	NS	1[1, 2.5]	2[2, 3]	NS
GLI2 activity in PT cells	18	2[1, 3]	2[2, 3]	NS	2[1, 2.3]	2[1.8, 3]	NS
SHH+ ballooned hepatocytes	15	0[0, 0.08]	4[2.8, 7.8]	0.003	2.5[0, 4.5]	0[0, 0.5]	0.063

No associations were noted with steatosis, portal inflammation, and lobular inflammation. NS (not significant): p>0.1

G, grade; S, stage; PT, portal tract