Table 3.
Comparison of demographic, laboratory, immunohistochemical, and histological data for non-NASH NAFLD patients and children with NASH
| Non-NASH NAFLD (n=10) | NASH (n=49) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male/Female | 7/3 | 39/10 | |
| Age (yr) | 12.7 ± 4.5 | 13.4 ± 2.7 | 0.684 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 33.6 ± 8.9 | 35.2 ± 6.1 | 0.844 |
| Glycemic Measures | |||
| Glucose (mg/dl) | 105.0 ± 32.6 | 96.8 ± 18.6 | 0.339 |
| Insulin (mcU/ml) | 18.8 ± 9.0 | 27.2 ± 17.8 | 0.719 |
| HOMA | 4.3 ± 2.4 | 6.9 ± 5.3 | 0.582 |
| HbA1c (%) | 6.2 ± 2.2 | 5.3 ± 0.4 | 0.180 |
| Lipids | |||
| Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 160.1 ± 19.6 | 171.5 ± 35.8 | 0.321 |
| LDL Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 71.8 ± 34.3 | 69.4 ± 47.7 | 0.618 |
| HDL Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 69.3 ± 38.9 | 70.5 ± 40.3 | 0.896 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl) | 99.9 ± 21.7 | 167.7 ± 105.4 | 0.053 |
| Liver Biochemistries | |||
| ALT (U/L) | 77.4 ± 41.8 | 119.9 ± 88.1 | 0.045 |
| AST (U/L) | 47.7 ± 28.1 | 71.0 ± 41.3 | 0.035 |
| Albumin (GM/dl) | 3.9 ± 0.2 | 4.1 ± 0.4 | 0.031 |
| Immunohistochemistry | |||
| Malondialdehyde (MDA) content (%) | 38.7 ± 19.7 | 48.3 ± 20.8 | 0.233 |
| CYP2E1 protein content (%) | 58.5 ± 11.4 | 61.1 ± 8.1 | 0.746 |
| Steatosis (%) | 9.5 ± 6.3 | 11.0 ± 6.1 | 0.780 |
| Histological Scoring | |||
| Steatosis grade | 1.6 ± 1.0 | 1.9 ± 0.8 | 0.437 |
| Fibrosis stage | 0 | 2.8 ± 1.8 | <0.001 |
| Grade of lobular inflammation | 0.8 ± 0.6 | 1.1 ± 0.6 | 0.169 |
| Grade of portal inflammation | 0.4 ± 0.5 | 0.8 ± 0.6 | 0.056 |
| Hepatocyte ballooning | 0 | 1.0 ± 0.8 | <0.001 |
Values expressed are mean ± SD and immunohistochemical measures are as a percent of total liver biopsy area. Note that diagnoses were based on histological scoring criteria and statistical comparisons between groups should be interpreted accordingly.
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; HOMA, Homeostatic Model Assessment Method; HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase.