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Liver fatty acid-binding protein as a diagnostic marker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Fettsäurebindungsprotein als diagnostischer Marker einer nicht-alkoholischen Fettlebererkrankung

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Summary

Background and aims

Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a small cytoplasmic protein. The aim of the current study was to investigate L-FABP levels and to determine their diagnostic value for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

We enrolled in this study 24 consecutive patients with NAFLD who were diagnosed with elevated transaminases and with steatosis by ultrasonograph. The control group consisted of 22 healthy control subjects matched for age and gender. Serum levels of L-FABP were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

L-FABP levels in NAFLD patients were higher than in the control group (levels were 41,976 ± 18,998 and 17048 ± 5021 pg/mL, respectively). A strong correlation was found between serum L-FABP concentrations and aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, body mass index, glucose and γ-glutamyltransferase levels. A level of 284,000 pg/mL L-FABP had 73 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity. Positive and negative predictive values for L-FABP were 100  and 79%, respectively.

Conclusions

Serum L-FABP can be considered as a new diagnostic marker for detecting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund und Ziele

Das Leber-Fettsäurebindungsprotein (L-FABP) ist ein kleines zytoplasmatisches Protein. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die L-FABP Konzentrationen zu bestimmen und ihren diagnostischen Wert bei der nicht-alkoholischen Fettlebererkrankung (NAFLD) zu erheben.

Methodik

Wir schlossen 24 konsekutive Patienten mit NAFLD, die durch erhöhte Transaminasen und mittels Ultraschall erhobener Steatose diagnostiziert worden war, in diese Studie ein. Die Kontrollgruppe bestand aus 22 gesunden Kontrollpersonen, die im Alter und Geschlecht der Gruppe mit NAFLD entsprachen.

Die Serumkonzentrationen des L-FABPs wurden mit ELISA bestimmt.

Ergebnisse

Die L-FABP Spiegel waren bei den Patienten mit NAFLD höher als in der Kontrollgruppe (41.976 ± 18.998 pg/mL im Vergleich zu 17048 ± 5021 pg/mL). Es wurde eine starke Korrelation zwischen den L-FABP Konzentrationen und AST, ALT, BMI, Glucose und gamma GT Werten gefunden. Eine Konzentration der L-FABP von 284.000 pg/mL hatte eine Sensitivität von 73 % und eine Spezifität von 100 %. Der positive Vorhersagewert der L-FABP lag bei 100 %, der negative bei 79 %.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Serum L-FABP kann als neuer diagnostischer Marker zur Entdeckung einer nicht alkoholischen Fettlebererkrankung aufgefasst werden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey

    Erdem Akbal MD

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Çanakkale State Hospital, Çanakkale, Turkey

    Erdem Koçak MD

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Mevlana University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey

    Ömer Akyürek MD

  4. Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Seyfettin Köklü MD

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Hikmetullah Batgi MD

  6. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Ankara Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Mehmet Şenes MD

Authors
  1. Erdem Akbal MD
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  2. Erdem Koçak MD
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  3. Ömer Akyürek MD
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  4. Seyfettin Köklü MD
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Correspondence to Ömer Akyürek MD.

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Akbal, E., Koçak, E., Akyürek, Ö. et al. Liver fatty acid-binding protein as a diagnostic marker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Wien Klin Wochenschr 128, 48–52 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0680-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0680-8

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