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PubMed ID:
21953442
Public Release Type:
Journal
Publication Year: 2012
Affiliation: Center for Liver Disease, Digestive Disease Institute, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98101, USA. kkowdley@benaroyaresearch.org
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.24706
Authors:
Chalasani N,
Nelson JE,
NASH Clinical Research Network,
Wilson LA,
Belt P,
Kowdley KV,
Sanyal AJ,
Neuschwander-Tetri BA,
Yeh MM
Studies:
Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network
Serum ferritin (SF) levels are commonly elevated in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) because of systemic inflammation, increased iron stores, or both. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between elevated SF and NAFLD severity. Demographic, clinical, histologic, laboratory, and anthropometric data were analyzed in 628 adult patients with NAFLD (age, ≥ 18 years) with biopsy-proven NAFLD and an SF measurement within 6 months of their liver biopsy. A threshold SF >1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) (i.e., >300 ng/mL in women and >450 ng/mL in men) was significantly associated with male sex, elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, iron, transferrin-iron saturation, iron stain grade, and decreased platelets (P < 0.01). Histologic features of NAFLD were more severe among patients with SF >1.5 × ULN, including steatosis, fibrosis, hepatocellular ballooning, and diagnosis of NASH (P < 0.026). On multiple regression analysis, SF >1.5 × ULN was independently associated with advanced hepatic fibrosis (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.62; P = 0.028) and increased NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.06-3.75; P = 0.033).
