Table 1.
Clinical and biochemical characteristics of healthy controls and patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease1 n (%)
| Characteristic | Control | NAFLD | Simple steatosis | NASH (borderline + definite) | P value2 | P value3 |
| (n = 26) | (n = 53) | (n = 8) | (n = 45) | |||
| Gender (males/females) | 14/12 | 31/22 | 4/4 | 27/18 | 0.690 | 0.800 |
| Age (yr) | 39 ± 10.7 | 42.5 ± 9.6 | 42.8 ± 13.2 | 4 1 ± 8.6 | 0.190 | 0.310 |
| BMI (kg/m²) | 28.7 ± 5.1 | 31.6 ± 5.3 | 29.9 ± 4.31 | 32.07 ± 5.5 | 0.030 | 0.040 |
| Smoking | 5 (19.2) | 11 (20.7) | 3 (37.5) | 8 (17.7) | 0.900 | 0.080 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 85.2 ± 7.3 | 102.2 ± 9.1 | 100.2 ± 9.9 | 102.6 ± 9 | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Diabetes Mellitus | No | 11 (20.8) | 3 (37.5) | 8 (17.7) | 0.012 | 0.050 |
| Metabolic syndrome | No | 33 (62.2) | 3 (37.5) | 30 (66.6) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| Hypertension | No | 12 (22.6) | 3 (37.5) | 9 (20) | 0.008 | 0.010 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 116 ± 17 | 121 ± 16 | 115 ± 15 | 122 ± 17 | 0.310 | 0.270 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 74 ± 12 | 82 ± 10 | 79 ± 8 | 82 ± 10 | 0.006 | 0.010 |
| ESR median (min-max, mm/h) | 21 (6-38) | 11.5 (3-40) | 16 (4-40) | 11 (3-38) | 0.001 | 0.110 |
| CRP median (min-max, mg/L) | 0.4 (0.2-1.5) | 0.4 (0.1-2) | 0.5 (0.1-1.4) | 0.4 (0.1-2) | 0.720 | 0.670 |
| Hemoglobin A1c (%) | 5.7 ± 0.3 | 5.9 ± 0.9 | 5.5 ± 0.4 | 5.9 ± 0.9 | 0.730 | 0.310 |
| HOMA-IR median (min-max) | 2 (0.6-3.2) | 2.5 (0.3-11.8) | 1.6 (0.3-4.2) | 2.7 (0.5 ± 11.8) | 0.001 | 0.010 |
| AST median (min-max, U/L) | 19 (9-60) | 35 (16-147) | 36 (19-91) | 35 (16-147) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| ALT median(min-max, U/L) | 18 (5-50) | 52 (17-196) | 43 (18-97) | 53 (17-196) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/L) | 5.15 ± 1 | 5.43 ± 1.39 | 5.46 ± 1.13 | 5.43 ± 1.45 | 0.450 | 0.670 |
| HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.21 ± 0.2 | 1.19 ± 0.2 | 1.26 ± 0.2 | 1.16 ± 0.2 | 0.290 | 0.310 |
| LDL-cholesterol (mmol/L) | 3.52 ± 0.8 | 3.67 ± 0.9 | 3.67 ± 0.8 | 3.67 ± 0.9 | 0.520 | 0.770 |
| Triglycerides (mmol/L) | 1.4 ± 0.6 | 2.5 ± 2.12 | 2.2 ± 1.08 | 2.5 ± 2.27 | 0.005 | 0.420 |
| Ferritin median (min-max, pmol/L) | 20.7 (2.8-101) | 91 (6.5-326) | 141.5 (7.8-300) | 88.5 (6.5-326) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| LOX-1 (ng/mL) | 4.08 ± 4.32 | 8.49 ± 6.43 | 6.1 ± 6.16 | 8.92 ± 6.45 | 0.001 | 0.004 |
1The patients with NAFLD and controls was similar according to the socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic background, and, dietary and/or physical activity habits, religion;
P value: for comparison of control and NAFLD (t test for continuos variables and χ2 test for categorical, as variables );
P value: for comparison of control, simple steatosis, and NASH (One-way ANOVA for continues variables and χ2 test for categorical variables). Normal values in laboratory tests: ESR: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (0-20 mm/h); CRP: C-reactive protein (< 8 mg/L); HbA1c (4.3-5.8 proportion of total hemoglobin); total cholesterol (2.6-5.2 mmol/L); triglyceride (0.7-1.7 mmol/L); LDL cholesterol (1-3.37 mg/dL); HDL cholesterol (> 0.9 mmol/L); AST (5-32 U/L); ALT (5-38 U/L); ferritin (54-755 μg/L in males and 25-755 μg/L in females); BMI (body mass index) (18-25 kg/m2); LOX-1: Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1; HOMA-IR and metabolic syndrome are described in the text, Diabetes Mellitus was diagnosed according to ADA 2010 criteria, NAFLD: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.