Serum galectin-3 levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Objectives: Galectin-3 might serve as a biomarker of human metabolic alterations. We measured serum levels of galectin-3 in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and examined their association with clinical and histological phenotypes.

Design and methods: Serum levels of galectin-3 were assayed in 71 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 39 controls.

Results: Serum galectin-3 levels did not differ in patients with NAFLD (median 4.1 ng/mL; interquartile range: 1.5-5.5 ng/mL) compared with healthy controls (median 3.1 ng/mL; interquartile range: 0.8-7.5 ng/mL, P=0.93). Among patients with NAFLD, however, serum galectin-3 levels correlated significantly with BMI (r=0.267, P<0.05). This association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders (β=0.30; t=2.11, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Although galectin-3 was modestly associated with BMI, our results do not support the hypothesis that levels of this molecule are altered in patients with NAFLD.