Research On The Plasma Levels Of Homocysteine And The Relationship With Insulin Resistance In Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background/AimSteatosis is common in patients with severe hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) due to deficiency of cystathionineβ-synthase (CBS), the relationship between fatty liver and homocysteine (Hcy) is being taken more and more attention.Although there were several studies that have investigated plasma Hcy concentrations in alcoholic liver disease (ALD), but there are rare studies on Hcy levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of plasma homocysteine concentrations in patients with NAFLD. To explore the relationship between homocysteine concentrations and insulin resistance (IR) in NAFLD.Methods48 NAFLD patients and 51 controls were enrolled in this study. Their height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure were measured and body mass index (BMI), mean blood pressure were calculated. Homocysteine levels were measured by ELISA, insulin,fasting blood glucose(FBG),lipoprotein levels,liver and renal function were also determined in both groups, the index of insulin resistance (IR) was calculated on the basis of the values of plasma FBG and fasting insulin, according to the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) method. Then all of the variables were compared and analyzed.ResultsThe sex and age distributions of patients in the NAFLD and control groups were not statistically different (t=0.026,P=0.872;x~2=0.656,P=0.514). Homocysteine concentrations in the NAFLD group were found to be higher than control group (15.1±5.88μmol/L vs 12.6±2.93μmol/L, P<0.05), and multivariate regression analysis showed homocysteine concentrations,HOMA-IR,alanine amino transferase (ALT),triglyceride (TG)are major risk factors in NAFLD. A positive correlation was found between homocysteine and BMI,insulin,and HOMA-IR in the NAFLD group.ConclusionsThe plasma level of homocysteine is enhanced in NAFLD patients, and HHcy is a major risk factor in NAFLD, maybe play an important role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.There was a positive correlation between Hcy and weight,waist circumference, insulin,HOMA-IR in the NAFLD.