Serum Adropin Levels Are Reduced in Adult Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Objectives: Adropin is a novel marker of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to explore the association of serum adropin levels with hepatosteatosis among adult patients.

Materials and methods: Serum biochemical parameters including liver and renal function tests, insulin levels, and serum adropin levels were compared between adult patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy control cases.

Results: A total of 51 patients with a mean age of 37.9 ± 9.96 years diagnosed with grade 2-3 hepatosteatosis and 30 healthy control cases with a mean age of 34.8 ± 9.5 years were included in the study. Serum adropin levels in the NAFLD group were statistically significantly lower than in the control cases (588.4 ± 261.0 vs. 894.2 ± 301.2, respectively; p < 0.001). The study participants were further subdivided into 2 groups as patients with (n = 35) or without (n = 46) insulin resistance using the serum homeostatic model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Serum adropin levels were statistically significantly lower in patients with insulin resistance (p < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between adropin levels and serum insulin, HOMA-IR, urea, gamma-glutamyl transferase, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

Conclusion: We observed a decrease in serum adropin levels among adult patients with NAFLD. We also found lower levels of serum adropin in patients with insulin resistance, supporting previous data in the literature. Studies investigating the association of adropin levels with other inflammatory parameters are warranted to define its exact role in the pathogenesis of hepatosteatosis.

Keywords: Adropin; Hepatosteatosis; Liver disease.