Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of NAFLD Biopsy-proven Cohort
| Characteristics | All (n=156) |
No Advanced Fibrosis (stage 0–2) (n=133) |
Advanced Fibrosis (stage 3–4) (n=23) |
p-value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age, years | 49.8 ±14.3 | 48.7 ± 14.1 | 56.2 ± 13.9 | 0.023 |
| Male, n (%) | 65 (41.7) | 59 (44.4) | 6 (26.1) | 0.114 |
| White, n (%) | 71 (45.5) | 65 (48.9) | 6 (26.1) | 0.058 |
| Hispanic or Latino, n (%) | 49 (32.7) | 36 (27.1) | 13 (56.5) | 0.007 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 32.0 ± 6.0 | 31.3 ± 5.0 | 35.9 ± 9.5 | 0.015 |
| Clinical | ||||
| Type 2 Diabetes, n (%) | 41 (26.3) | 32 (24.1) | 9 (39.1) | 0.189 |
| Metformin use | 38 (24.4) | 14 (10.5) | 9 (39.1) | 0.077 |
| Biological data | ||||
| AST (U/L) | 42.2 ± 34.0 | 38.7 ± 31.6 | 62.3 ± 40.7 | 0.001 |
| ALT (U/L) | 59.0 ±57.0 | 56.8 ± 55.0 | 71.7 ± 67.1 | 0.574 |
| Alk P (U/L) | 77.5± 28.3 | 74.2 ± 24.6 | 96.6 ± 39.4 | 0.001 |
| GGT (Ui/L) | 55.5 ±51.0 | 50.6 ± 48.3 | 84.7 ± 57.5 | 0.001 |
| Total Bilirubin (mg/dL) | 1.7 ±15.3 | 0.49 ± 0.24 | 0.64 ± 0.66 | 0.293 |
| Direct Bilirubin (mg/dL) | 0.14± 0.15 | 0.14 ± 0.15 | 0.16 ± 0.15 | 0.539 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 4.46± 0.44 | 4.49 ± 0.44 | 4.27 ± 0.38 | 0.019 |
| Glucose (mg/dl) | 106.2± 33.1 | 104.0 ± 27.0 | 118.7 ± 56.3 | 0.607 |
| Hemoglobin A1c | 6.0 ±0.9 | 5.97± 0.86 | 6.48 ± 1.11 | 0.048 |
| HOMA-IR | 8.5 ±17.3 | 8.79 ± 18.51 | 6.41 ± 4.96 | 0.229 |
| Insulin (U/ml) | 34.2± 74.9 | 35.0 ± 81.1 | 30.1 ± 20.9 | 0.561 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 159.0± 83.5 | 161.5 ± 82.8 | 144.7 ± 87.7 | 0.397 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 182.8± 44.3 | 184.7 ± 44.9 | 171.8 ± 40.1 | 0.171 |
| HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) | 48.7± 15.3 | 48.7 ± 15.5 | 48.3 ± 14.7 | 0.888 |
| LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) | 105.3 ±34.6 | 106.8 ± 34.6 | 96.8 ± 33.7 | 0.212 |
| Platelet count (103/µL) | 244.5 ±782.8 | 255.2 ± 74.6 | 195.4 ± 59.7 | 0.0001 |
| Prothrombin time | 10.5 ± 0.8 | 11.2 ± 1.2 | 0.007 | |
| INR | 1.01± 0.08 | 1.00 ±0.08 | 1.07 ± 0.10 | 0.009 |
| Ferritin (ng/mL) | 190.4 ±171.9 | 200.4 ± 180.9 | 135.3 ± 95.8 | 0.201 |
| Clinical Prediction Rules | ||||
| AST/ALT | 0.81 ± 0.29 | 0.77 ± 0.25 | 1.05 ± 0.38 | <0.001 |
| APRI | 0.57 ± 0.55 | 0.54 ± 0.54 | 0.31 ± 0.16 | <0.001 |
| BARD Median (IQR) | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 3 (1) | 0.002 |
| FIB-4 | 1.35 ± 1.24 | 1.38 ± 1.28 | 1.16 ± 0.77 | 0.001 |
| NAFLD Fibrosis Score | −1.85 ± 1.62 | −1.88 ± 1.60 | −1.55 ± 2.09 | <0.001 |
| Histology | 4.29 ± 1.55 | 4.83 ± 1.34 | 0.090 | |
| Fibrosis n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| 0 | 66 (42.3) | 66 (49.6) | 0 (0.0) | |
| 1 | 51(32.7) | 51 (38.3) | 0 (0.0) | |
| 2 | 16 (10.3) | 16 (12.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| 3 | 13 (8.3) | 0 (0.0) | 13 (56.5) | |
| 4 | 10 (6.4) | 0 (0.0) | 10 (43.5) | |
| Steatosis n (%) | 0.176 | |||
| 0 | 3 (1.9) | 3 (2.2) | 0 (0) | |
| 1 | 51(32.7) | 39 (29.3) | 12 (52.2) | |
| 2 | 58 (37.2) | 52 (39.1) | 6 (26.1) | |
| 3 | 44 (28.2) | 39 (29.3) | 5 (21.7) | |
| Lobular inflammation n (%) | 0.372 | |||
| 0 | 3 (1.9) | 3 (2.2) | 0 (0.0) | |
| 1 | 76 (49.0) | 68 (51.5) | 8 (34.8) | |
| 2 | 70 (45.2) | 56 (42.1) | 14 (60.9) | |
| 3 | 6 (3.9) | 5 (3.8) | 1 (4.3) | |
| Ballooning n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| 0 | 38 (24.4) | 34 (25.6) | 4 (17.4) | |
| 1 | 87 (55.8) | 82 (61.6) | 5 (21.7) | |
| 2 | 30 (19.2) | 16 (12.0) | 14 (60.9) | |
| 3 | 1 (0.6) | 1 (0.8) | 0 (0.0) | |
| NASH, n (%) | 0.012 | |||
| NAFLD, no NASH | 20 (13.0) | 20 (15.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Borderline NASH | 18 (11.7) | 18 (13.5) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Definite NASH | 116 (75.3) | 93 (69.9) | 23 (100.0) | |
| NAS Median (IQR) | 4 (2) | 4 (2) | 5 (2) | 0.602 |
Mean values are provided ± standard deviation, unless otherwise noted as n (%) or median and interquartile range (IQR). APRI: AST to platelet ratio, HOMA: Homeostasis Model Assessment, NAS: NAFLD Activity Score. Differences between individuals with and without advanced fibrosis were evaluated with t tests or the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables and the chi squared or Fisher exact test for categorical variables.
Bold indicates significant P-values <0.05.