Serum Cardiotrophin-1 Concentration Is Negatively Associated with Controlled Attenuation Parameters in Subjects with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Yi-Chun Liao; Juei-Seng Wu; Hsuan-Wen Chou; Hsin-Yu Kuo; Chun-Te Lee; Hung-Tsung Wu; Chung-Hao Li; Horng-Yih Ou

doi:10.3390/jcm12072741

Serum Cardiotrophin-1 Concentration Is Negatively Associated with Controlled Attenuation Parameters in Subjects with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

J Clin Med. 2023 Apr 6;12(7):2741. doi: 10.3390/jcm12072741.

Authors

Yi-Chun Liao¹, Juei-Seng Wu², Hsuan-Wen Chou³, Hsin-Yu Kuo², Chun-Te Lee², Hung-Tsung Wu¹, Chung-Hao Li^{4

5}, Horng-Yih Ou^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
² Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 703, Taiwan.
³ Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 703, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine, An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan 709, Taiwan.
⁵ School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.

Abstract

Background: Since non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, biomarkers for the diagnosis of NAFLD have become an important issue. Although cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) has a protective effect on the liver in NAFLD animal models, the serum levels of CT-1 in human subjects with NAFLD were still unknown.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the circulating concentration of CT-1 and the severity of hepatic steatosis graded by the value of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) in humans.

Design and methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study, and a total of 182 subjects were enrolled. Hepatic steatosis measurement was carried out with a Firoscan^® device and recorded by CAP. The enrolled study subjects were categorized into CAP < 238 dB/m, 238 ≤ CAP ≤ 259 dB/m, 260 ≤ CAP ≤ 290 dB/m, and CAP > 290 dB/m. Serum CT-1 concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between the serum CT-1 concentration and NAFLD was examined by multivariate linear regression analysis.

Results: Body mass index, percentage of body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholesterol, triglyceride, hemoglobin A1c and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly increased in groups with higher CAP value, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly decreased. In addition, serum CT-1 concentrations were significantly decreased in subjects with higher CAP values. In multivariate linear regression models, including age, sex, body fat percentage, CAP, high sensitivity- C reactive protein, uric acid, creatinine, ALT, total cholesterol, and HOMA-IR, only age, CAP and uric acid independently associated with CT-1 levels. Moreover, having NAFLD was independently associated with CT-1 after adjustment for sex, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions: Serum CT-1 concentrations are decreased in subjects with NAFLD and negatively associated with CAP.

Keywords: cardiotrophin-1; controlled attenuation parameter; diabetes; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; obesity.

Grants and funding

110-2314-B-006-116 -MY3; 110-2314-B-006-115-/National Science and Technology Council