Research Article Details

Article ID: A24847
PMID: 22434756
Source: Pediatr Obes
Title: Influence of elevated liver fat on circulating adipocytokines and insulin resistance in obese Hispanic adolescents.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to examine the metabolic differences arising from higher liver fat accumulation in obese Hispanic adolescents, with a particular focus on circulating levels of adipocytokines and insulin resistance. METHODS: Forty-one obese Hispanic adolescents (15.3&#8201;&#177;&#8201;1.0&#8201;years, body mass index percentile: 97.0&#8201;&#177;&#8201;3.9) were assessed for: visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and hepatic fat fraction (HFF) by magnetic resonance imaging; fasting measures of serum glucose, insulin and adipocytokines; homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); and insulin sensitivity (SI) and the acute insulin response to glucose (AIR) by intravenous glucose tolerance test. Subjects with normal levels of HFF (below 5%; n&#8201;=&#8201;25) were compared to those with HFF >&#8201;5% (n&#8201;=&#8201;16). RESULTS: The two groups differing in HFF were similar for total body fat, VAT and SAT. The group with HFF >&#8201;5% had significantly (P&#8201;<&#8201;0.05) higher interleukin-8 (IL-8) (6.1&#8201;&#177;&#8201;1.6 vs. 3.2&#8201;&#177;&#8201;0.4&#8201;pg&#8201;mL(-1) ), NGF (30.2&#8201;&#177;&#8201;9.9 vs. 13.9&#8201;&#177;&#8201;1.6&#8201;pg&#8201;mL(-1) ), HOMA-IR (8.8&#8201;&#177;&#8201;1.1 vs. 5.5&#8201;&#177;&#8201;0.5), AIR (1869&#8201;&#177;&#8201;206 vs. 1092&#8201;&#177;&#8201;165) and a tendency for lower SI (1.2&#8201;&#177;&#8201;0.4 vs. 2.1&#8201;&#177;&#8201;0.3; P&#8201;=&#8201;0.06), with no significant differences in any of other factors measured. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that elevated liver fat is most closely associated with elevated serum IL-8 and NGF levels as well as increased AIR and HOMA-IR. These elevated factors may play significant roles in the metabolic abnormalities associated with elevated liver fat in obese Hispanics.
DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2011.00014.x