Journal
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
Volume 36, Issue 8, Pages 1213-1220Publisher
WILEY-BLACKWELL
DOI: 10.1111/liv.13076
Keywords
lipoprotein metabolism; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; very low density lipoprotein
Categories
Funding
- NIH [K23DK083439, R01DK100425]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background & AimsA major challenge in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is to identify patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and early liver fibrosis. The progression of NAFLD is accompanied by distinctive changes in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), a lipoprotein particle produced exclusively in the liver. Herein, we sought to determine the characteristics of VLDL profiles associated with NASH and liver fibrosis. MethodsWe evaluated VLDL profiles of 128 patients from a single centre NAFLD registry, and examined VLDL size, total and subclass VLDL concentrations in relation to NAFLD activity score (NAS), steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis as determined by liver biopsy. ResultsA near linear relationship was observed between mean VLDL particle size and NAFLD activity score (NAS). In multivariate models, VLDL particle size was significantly associated with both NAS and NASH, after adjustment for BMI and diabetes. A decrease in small VLDL particle concentration was associated with more advanced liver fibrosis. In receiver operative characteristic analyses, mean VLDL size performed similarly to cytokeratin 18 in predicting NASH, whereas small VLDL particle concentration had similar performance to NAFLD fibrosis score in predicting stage 2 or above liver fibrosis. ConclusionsThe increase in mean VLDL size in NASH and decrease in small VLDL particle concentration in liver fibrosis likely reflect changes in the number and state of hepatocytes associated with NASH and fibrosis. In addition to its value in risk stratification of cardiovascular diseases, circulating VLDL profile may provide information for the staging of NAFLD disease severity.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available