Parameter | NAFLD (n=80) | Not NASH (n=31) | NASH (n=49) | P value NASH versus not NASH |
---|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 11.4±2.0 | 11.7±1.8 | 11.2±2.3 | 0.251 |
Gender n (%) males | 45 (56%) | 20 (65%) | 25 (51%) | 0.237 |
BMI (kg/m2) | 27.7±5.1 | 26.1±5.3 | 28.4±4.8 | 0.027 |
BMI z-score | 1.95±0.57 | 1.72±0.59 | 2.11±0.51 | 0.003 |
Obese subjects n (%)* | 59 (73%) | 18 (58%) | 41 (83%) | 0.017 |
Waist circumference (cm) | 89.4±4.6 | 89.2±5.2 | 89.6±4.4 | 0.793 |
Waist circumference z-score | 1.99±0.78 | 1.92±0.75 | 2.04±0.73 | 0.486 |
Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 112±12 | 114±15 | 111±12 | 0.323 |
Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 67±7 | 68±9 | 68±8 | 0.793 |
Insulin (μU/mL) | 13.8±9.6 | 15.7±10.4 | 12.7±9.1 | 0.172 |
Glucose (mg/dL) | 86±14 | 86±12 | 85±16 | 0.815 |
HOMA-IR | 2.91±2.01 | 3.20±2.04 | 2.75±2.04 | 0.274 |
ISI | 2.95±1.96 | 3.49±2.43 | 2.61±1.50 | 0.213 |
Triglyceride (mg/dL) | 113±61 | 100±49 | 120±75 | 0.199 |
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 160±34 | 155±23 | 163±36 | 0.146 |
HDL-C (mg/dL) | 44±6 | 43±8 | 42±7 | 0.616 |
Diabetes n (%) | 2 (2%) | 0% | 2 (4%) | 0.512 |
Metabolic syndrome n (%) | 13 (16%) | 3 (10%) | 10 (20%) | 0.431 |
Abdominal obesity n (%)† | 50 (63%) | 20 (65%) | 30 (61%) | 0.814 |
Hypertension n (%) | 11 (14%) | 5 (16%) | 6 (12%) | 0.638 |
Hypertriglyceridemia n (%) | 22 (28%) | 6 (19%) | 16 (33%) | 0.298 |
Low HDL-C n (%) | 22 (27%) | 11 (35%) | 11 (22) | 0.542 |
IFG/diabetes n (%) | 14 (18%) | 5 (16%) | 9 (18%) | 0.874 |
Adiponectin (ng/mL) | 21.51±2.19 | 22.89±2.23 | 20.63±1.55 | <0.001 |
Resistin (pg/mL) | 33 755 ±37 363 | 29 505 ±12 257 | 37 233 ±29 424 | 0.170 |
RBP (mg/mL) | 3.15±1.13 | 3.07±1.11 | 3.19±1.15 | 0.646 |
C-reactive protein (mg/L) | 1.6±0.5 | 1.5±0.4 | 1.6±0.4 | 0.617 |
IL-6 (pg/mL) | 11.3±5.7 | 11.2±5.7 | 11.3±5.9 | 0.621 |
Leptin (ng/mL) | 19.3±8.9 | 19.5±7.7 | 19.1±9.7 | 0.876 |
TNF-α (pg/mL) | 6.8±2.4 | 6.8±2.1 | 6.7±2.3 | 0.834 |
L/M ratio | 0.04±0.04 | 0.02±0.02 | 0.06±0.04 | <0.001 |
Pathological L/M ratio n (%) | 28 (35%) | 2 (6%) | 26 (53%) | <0.001 |
LPS (EU/mL) | 2.47±0.62 | 1.84±0.40 | 2.92±0.25 | <0.001 |
OSAS n (%) | 52 (63%) | 5 (16%) | 47 (95%) | <0.001 |
Severe OSAS n (%)‡ | 23 (29%) | 0% | 23 (47%) | <0.001 |
AHI (events/h) | 3.45±3.21 | 0.89±0.81 | 5.06±3.96 | <0.001 |
ODI | 1.03±1.77 | 0.73±0.72 | 1.22±1.57 | 0.030 |
TST (h) | 7.9±0.6 | 7.8±0.8 | 8.0±0.9 | 0.238 |
Mean SaO2 (%) | 95.9±1.0 | 96.1±0.9 | 95.9±1.1 | 0.266 |
Nadir SaO2 (%) | 88.5±1.8 | 91.8±1.2 | 86.5±1.8 | <0.001 |
SaO2 <90% (%TST) | 34.3±37.7 | 18.7±18.6 | 40.5±37.4 | <0.001 |
ETpCO2 (mm Hg) | 47.3±6.5 | 44.4±3.6 | 49.1±7.1 | <0.001 |
AST (IU/L) | 37±17 | 33±15 | 39±15 | 0.085 |
ALT (IU/L) | 41±18 | 34±16 | 45±16 | 0.011 0.004 |
GGT (IU/L) | 22±15 | 17±7 | 25±11 | 0.001 |
CK18 (U/L) | 280±80 | 195±36 | 338±42 | <0.001 |
Hyaluronic acid (ng/mL) | 1308±553 | 1052±465 | 1464±547 | <0.001 |
Data are reported as mean±SD, unless otherwise specified. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Statistically significant differences are highlighted in bold.
Pathological L/M ratio: an L/M ratio ≥0.03 between fractional excretion of lactulose and the fractional excretion of mannitol was considered abnormal.
*Obesity: BMI≥95th percentile.
†Abdominal obesity: waist circumference ≥90th percentile for age and sex.
‡Severe OSAS: AHI ≥5 events/h.
AHI (apnoea/hypopnoea index), number of apnoea/hypopnoeas per hour of sleep; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; CK18, cytokeratin-18 fragments; ETpCO2, mean end-tidal pCO2; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; IL, interleukin; ISI, insulin sensitivity index; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; ODI, oxygen desaturation index; OSAS, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome; RBP, retinol-binding protein; SaO2 <90%, total duration of haemoglobin desaturation, expressed as %TST; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; TST, total sleep time (min).