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Relationship between immune parameters and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate the relationship between immune parameters and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese children.

Design

Cross-sectional study

Setting

Hospital-based study in Zhejiang Province, China between July to September 2015.

Participants

A total of 117 obese children and 209 healthy nonobese children were studied as the obese and control groups. Depending on the severity of NAFLD, the obese group was divided into subgroups 1 (without NAFLD), 2 (with simple fatty liver) and 3 (with steatohepatitis).

Outcome Measures

Glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and immune parameters.

Results

In the obese group, body mass index (BMI), waist-and hip-circumferences, fasting insulin, Homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein (Apo)B/ApoA1, alanine aminotransferase, uric acid, white blood cells, neutrophils percentage, platelet and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly higher than those in the controls (P<0.05), while lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol and lymphocyte percentage were noted (P<0.05). IL-10 in the subgroup 3 was higher than those in the control group, subgroup 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI, LDL-C, HOMA-IR and IL-10 were independent factors of NAFLD (P<0.05).

Conclusions

These results support a low-grade chronic inflammation in obese children. Moreover, obesity, dyslipidaemia and IR are risk factors while IL-10 may be a protective factor for NAFLD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Province, China

    Jun-Qi Shi, Wen-Xia Shen, Xiang-Zhi Wang, Ke Huang & Chao-Chun Zou

  2. Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Binsheng Road, Hangzhou, 310051, Zhejiang Province, China

    Chao-Chun Zou

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  1. Jun-Qi Shi
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  2. Wen-Xia Shen
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  3. Xiang-Zhi Wang
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  4. Ke Huang
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  5. Chao-Chun Zou
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Correspondence to Chao-Chun Zou.

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Shi, JQ., Shen, WX., Wang, XZ. et al. Relationship between immune parameters and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children. Indian Pediatr 54, 825–829 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-017-1143-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-017-1143-x

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