Objective: To study the abdominal adipose area, serum adiponectin and leptin levels of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in elderly males.
Methods: A total of 238 elderly males (more than 60 years) were enrolled and divided into three groups: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) group (n = 76), matching group (age and body mass index matching with NAFLD group, n = 77), normal control group (n = 85). Serum levels of adiponectin and leptin were measured by RIA (radiological immunological assay). Abdominal adipose area was detected by computer tomography.
Result: (1) body mass index (BMI), abdominal subcutaneous adipose area, visceral adipose area, total adipose area of NAFLD group and matching group were (26.87+/-2.62) kg/m2 and (26.63+/-1.97) kg/m2, (166.59+/-54.27) cm2 and (147.89+/-50.14) cm2, (148.94+/-53.72) cm2 and (150.06+/-45.47) cm2, (315.25+/-89.42) cm2 and (297.93+/-75.12) cm2, respectively; and were higher than those in control group (P less than 0.01). The abdominal subcutaneous adipose area is higher in NAFLD group than in matching group, however, the abdominal visceral adipose area and total adipose area were not significantly different between those two groups. (2) The serum leptin level in NAFLD group and matching group was significantly higher than that in control group, and serum leptin level was not significantly different between NAFLD group and matching group. The serum adiponectin of NAFLD group [(6.31+/-3.31)mug/ml] was significantly lower than that of matching group [(9.87+/-7.071)mug/ml, P less than 0.01] and control group (P less than 0.01). There was no difference in adiponectin level between matching group and control group. 3) AST, TG, abdominal subcutaneous adipose area, abdominal visceral adipose area were risk factors of NAFLD, while serum adiponectin was protective factor of NAFLD.
Conclusion: These data indicate that elderly male NAFLD patients manifest abdominal obesity, high serum leptin, low serum adiponecin, and suggest that adiponectin may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in elderly males.