Research Article Details
| Article ID: | A35965 |
| PMID: | 19318968 |
| Source: | Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol |
| Title: | Could inflammatory markers help diagnose nonalcoholic steatohepatitis? |
| Abstract: | BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease describes a set of conditions that range from fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and is considered the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Obesity and insulin resistance are strongly associated with systemic markers of inflammation. OBJECTIVE: Focusing on this aspect, we have attempted to find a noninvasive method that could likely assess the presence of NASH and help to decide the liver biopsy performance. METHODS: Using histology as a gold standard to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, we consecutively studied 43 patients with NASH and 40 with fatty liver, comparing their data with those of 48 healthy control participants. The outcomes evaluated were ultrasonographic spleen longitudinal diameter coupled with the splenic artery resistive index, serum IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations. RESULTS: The NASH group had higher spleen longitudinal diameter values (P=0.0001) as well as significantly higher IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations than the other groups (P=0.0001). The optimal cut-off value for spleen longitudinal diameter that best discriminated NASH from fatty liver patients was 116 mm (specificity 95% and sensitivity 88%); the sensitivity and specificity of this parameter was better than both IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the same setting (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.920 vs. 0.817 and 0.678). Splenic artery resistive index was similar between patients with NASH and those with fatty liver, but differed when compared with controls, P=0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 was highly specific in confirming the absence of NASH at normal values. In our series, normal values of spleen longitudinal diameter and IL-6 were strongly associated with fatty liver. |
| DOI: | 10.1097/MEG.0b013e3283229b40 |
| Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S01 | Improve insulin resistance | insulin sensitizer; insulin resistance; glucose tolerance | Biguanide: increases 5-AMP activated protein kinase signaling; SGLT-2 inhibitor; Thiazalidinedione: selective PPAR-γ agonists; GLP-1 agonist | Metformin; Empagliflozin; Canagliflozin; Rosiglitazone; Pioglitazone; Liraglutide | Details |
| S05 | Anti-inflammatory | inflammatory | Bile acid; TNF-a inhibitor; Dual PPAR-α and -δ agonists; Toll-Like Receptor; (TLR)-4 antagonist; Caspase inhibitor; ASK-1 inhibitor | Ursodeoxycholic Acid; Pentoxifylline; Elafibranor; JKB-121; Emricasan; Selonsertib; | Details |
| Target ID | Target Name | GENE | Action | Class | UniProtKB ID | Entry Name |
|---|
| Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I05 | 9352 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus | A diabetes that is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. A diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2 | disease of metabolism/inherited metabolic disorder/ carbohydrate metabolic disorder/glucose metabolism disease/diabetes/ diabetes mellitus | Details |
| I14 | 9970 | Obesity | An overnutrition that is characterized by excess body fat, traditionally defined as an elevated ratio of weight to height (specifically 30 kilograms per meter squared), has_material_basis_in a multifactorial etiology related to excess nutrition intake, decreased caloric utilization, and genetic susceptibility, and possibly medications and certain disorders of metabolism, endocrine function, and mental illness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity | disease of metabolism/acquired metabolic disease/ nutrition disease/overnutrition | Details |
| Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D080 | Citrulline | Chemical drug | DB00155 | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
| D328 | Serine | Chemical drug | DB00133 | SRR | Improve insulin resistance | Under clinical trials | Details |
| D316 | S-adenosyl-L-methionine | Chemical drug | DB00118 | GNMT cofactor | Antiviral | Under clinical trials | Details |
| D182 | Insulin | Biological drug | DB00030 | INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |