U-Shaped relationship of insulin-like growth factor I and incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver in patients with pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: a cohort study

Yan Hu; Chen Yuan; Muila Abdulnaimu; Jimilanmu Memetmin; Zhang Jie; Aihemaitijiang Tuhuti; Hanikzi Abudueini; Yanying Guo

doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1290007

U-Shaped relationship of insulin-like growth factor I and incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver in patients with pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: a cohort study

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Feb 2:15:1290007. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1290007. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Yan Hu¹, Chen Yuan², Muila Abdulnaimu², Jimilanmu Memetmin², Zhang Jie², Aihemaitijiang Tuhuti², Hanikzi Abudueini², Yanying Guo²

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
² Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Clinical Research Center for Diabetes, Urumqi, China.

Abstract

Context: Although the role of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has garnered attention in recent years, few studies have examined both reduced and elevated levels of IGF-1.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the potential relationship between IGF-1 levels and the risk of new-onset NAFLD in patients with pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET).

Methods: We employed multivariable Cox regression models and two-piecewise regression models to assess the association between IGF-1 and new-onset NAFLD. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to quantify this association. Furthermore, a dose-response correlation between lgIGF-1 and the development of NAFLD was plotted. Additionally, we also performed subgroup analysis and a series sensitivity analysis.

Results: A total of 3,291 PitNET patients were enrolled in the present study, and the median duration of follow-up was 65 months. Patients with either reduced or elevated levels of IGF-1 at baseline were found to be at a higher risk of NAFLD compared to PitNET patients with normal IGF-1(log-rank test, P < 0.001). In the adjusted Cox regression analysis model (model IV), compared with participants with normal IGF-1, the HRs of those with elevated and reduced IGF-1 were 2.33 (95% CI 1.75, 3.11) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.78, 2.7). Furthermore, in non-adjusted or adjusted models, our study revealed a U-shaped relationship between lgIGF-1 and the risk of NAFLD. Moreover, the results from subgroup and sensitivity analyses were consistent with the main results.

Conclusions: There was a U-shaped trend between IGF-1 and new-onset NAFLD in patients with PitNET. Further evaluation of our discoveries is warranted.

Keywords: U-shaped; cohort study; insulin-like growth factor I; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; pituitary neuroendocrine tumors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cohort Studies
Humans
Incidence
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
Neuroendocrine Tumors* / complications
Neuroendocrine Tumors* / epidemiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / epidemiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / etiology
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / pathology

Substances

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Specialized Program for Precision Medicine Research of the People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (20220307).