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Ezenwuba BN, Hynes CM. Ultrasound screening of paediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A critical literature review. Radiography (Lond) 2024; 30:1317-1325. [PMID: 39059181 DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2024.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Paediatric NAFLD is an increasing global health concern, which can be effectively managed with early detection. Screening, using accurate, affordable, and accessible tests is recommended, however, there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate tests. Although ultrasound techniques are widely used, their performance against reference tests have not been fully assessed. METHODS A literature search of related databases for peer-reviewed original articles published from January 2010-March 2024 was conducted. Appropriate tools were used to systematise and document the search results and selected studies were quality assessed and critically appraised. Extracted data was subjected to thematic analysis and narrative synthesis. RESULTS Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria. B-mode and Quantitative ultrasound techniques were compared against MR spectroscopy, MRI-PDFF and Liver biopsy. CONCLUSION Liver echogenicity and Steato-scores were the B-mode methods used. The former was less effective, with a maximum reported sensitivity of 70%. The latter reached up to 100% sensitivity, and >80% specificity. Ultrasound performed better with moderate-severe steatosis. There was not enough evidence to support steatosis grading, possibly due to small sample sizes and lack of established cut-off values. QUS (Quantitative Ultrasound)) methods including Continuous Attenuation Parameter (CAP), Attenuation Coefficient (AC), Ultrasound derived fat fraction (UDFF), Tissue Scatter Imaging (TSI) Hepato-Renal Index (HRI), Heterogeneity Index (HIA), Computer Assisted Ultrasound (CAUS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS-based Image analysis performed better than B-mode methods. Although QUS demonstrated excellent performance, with sensitivity and specificity of up to 100%, this will require further verification before implementation in practice. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Ultrasound techniques can effectively be used for paediatric NAFLD screening, especially in higher-risk subjects. The steato-scores method is currently recommendable for this, with excellent potential for the use of QUS, after cut-off values and validation requirements have been addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C M Hynes
- Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
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Zhang L, El-Shabrawi M, Baur LA, Byrne CD, Targher G, Kehar M, Porta G, Lee WS, Lefere S, Turan S, Alisi A, Weiss R, Faienza MF, Ashraf A, Sundaram SS, Srivastava A, De Bruyne R, Kang Y, Bacopoulou F, Zhou YH, Darma A, Lupsor-Platon M, Hamaguchi M, Misra A, Méndez-Sánchez N, Ng NBH, Marcus C, Staiano AE, Waheed N, Alqahtani SA, Giannini C, Ocama P, Nguyen MH, Arias-Loste MT, Ahmed MR, Sebastiani G, Poovorawan Y, Al Mahtab M, Pericàs JM, Reverbel da Silveira T, Hegyi P, Azaz A, Isa HM, Lertudomphonwanit C, Farrag MI, Nugud AAA, Du HW, Qi KM, Mouane N, Cheng XR, Al Lawati T, Fagundes EDT, Ghazinyan H, Hadjipanayis A, Fan JG, Gimiga N, Kamal NM, Ștefănescu G, Hong L, Diaconescu S, Li M, George J, Zheng MH. An international multidisciplinary consensus on pediatric metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. MED 2024; 5:797-815.e2. [PMID: 38677287 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2024.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent in children and adolescents, particularly those with obesity. NAFLD is considered a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome due to its close associations with abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Experts have proposed an alternative terminology, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), to better reflect its pathophysiology. This study aimed to develop consensus statements and recommendations for pediatric MAFLD through collaboration among international experts. METHODS A group of 65 experts from 35 countries and six continents, including pediatricians, hepatologists, and endocrinologists, participated in a consensus development process. The process encompassed various aspects of pediatric MAFLD, including epidemiology, mechanisms, screening, and management. FINDINGS In round 1, we received 65 surveys from 35 countries and analyzed these results, which informed us that 73.3% of respondents agreed with 20 draft statements while 23.8% agreed somewhat. The mean percentage of agreement or somewhat agreement increased to 80.85% and 15.75%, respectively, in round 2. The final statements covered a wide range of topics related to epidemiology, pathophysiology, and strategies for screening and managing pediatric MAFLD. CONCLUSIONS The consensus statements and recommendations developed by an international expert panel serve to optimize clinical outcomes and improve the quality of life for children and adolescents with MAFLD. These findings emphasize the need for standardized approaches in diagnosing and treating pediatric MAFLD. FUNDING This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82070588, 82370577), the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFA1800801), National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-PUMCH-C-014), the Wuxi Taihu Talent Plan (DJTD202106), and the Medical Key Discipline Program of Wuxi Health Commission (ZDXK2021007).
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhang
- Department of Paediatrics, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University (Wuxi Children's Hospital), Wuxi, China
| | - Mortada El-Shabrawi
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Louise A Baur
- Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher D Byrne
- Nutrition and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Giovanni Targher
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Metabolic Diseases Research Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore - Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy
| | - Mohit Kehar
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gilda Porta
- Pediatric Hepatology, Transplant Unit, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, Hospital Municipal Infantil Menino Jesus, Sau Paulo, Brazil
| | - Way Seah Lee
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sander Lefere
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Serap Turan
- Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Anna Alisi
- Research Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ram Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, Ruth Children's Hospital, Rambam Medical Center and the Bruce Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Maria Felicia Faienza
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Ambika Ashraf
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Shikha S Sundaram
- Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Liver Center, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Anshu Srivastava
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Ruth De Bruyne
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yunkoo Kang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Flora Bacopoulou
- Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Yong-Hai Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Andy Darma
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Monica Lupsor-Platon
- Department of Medical Imaging, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; "Prof. Dr. O. Fodor" Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Masahide Hamaguchi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Anoop Misra
- Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology, New Delhi, India; National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC), New Delhi, India; Diabetes Foundation, New Delhi, India
| | - Nahum Méndez-Sánchez
- Liver Research Unit, Medica Sur Clinic and Foundation and Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nicholas Beng Hui Ng
- Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat - National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Claude Marcus
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Pediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Nadia Waheed
- Department of Pediatrics, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saleh A Alqahtani
- Organ Transplantation Center of Excellence, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cosimo Giannini
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy
| | - Ponsiano Ocama
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mindie H Nguyen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maria Teresa Arias-Loste
- Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Clinical and Translational Research in Digestive Diseases, Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
| | - Mohamed Rabea Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics, Jahra Hospital, Kuwait and Department of Pediatrics, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Giada Sebastiani
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Division of Infectious Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yong Poovorawan
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mamun Al Mahtab
- Department of Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shahbag, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Juan M Pericàs
- Liver Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Vall d'Hebron Institute for Research (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Peter Hegyi
- Institute for Translational Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Center for Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Amer Azaz
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hasan M Isa
- Pediatric Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex and Pediatric Department, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Chatmanee Lertudomphonwanit
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mona Issa Farrag
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Abd Alwahab Nugud
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hong-Wei Du
- Department of Paediatrics, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ke-Min Qi
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China
| | - Nezha Mouane
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, Academic Children's Hospital Ibn Sina, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Xin-Ran Cheng
- Department of Paediatric Genetics, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Eleonora D T Fagundes
- Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Hasmik Ghazinyan
- Department of Hepatology, Nikomed Medical Center, Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | - Jian-Gao Fan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Lab of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Shanghai, China
| | - Nicoleta Gimiga
- Clinical Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, "St. Mary" Emergency Children's Hospital, Iași, Romania; Faculty of Medicine, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania
| | - Naglaa M Kamal
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Pediatric Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Alhada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gabriela Ștefănescu
- Department of Gastroenterology, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania
| | - Li Hong
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Smaranda Diaconescu
- Medical-Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine, University "Titu Maiorescu", Bucuresti, Romania
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Health Commission, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ming-Hua Zheng
- MAFLD Research Center, Department of Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Institute of Hepatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment for the Development of Chronic Liver Disease in Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China.
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Yetim A, Şahin M, Kandemir İ, Bulakçı B, Aksakal MT, Karapınar E, Sever H, Baş F. Evaluation of the ability of insulin resistance and lipid-related indices to predict the presence of NAFLD in obese adolescents. Lipids Health Dis 2024; 23:208. [PMID: 38956572 PMCID: PMC11218074 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-024-02144-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become an important health issue in adolescents. Although several parameters and indices have been investigated for the evaluation of NAFLD in adults, these indices are limited in adolescents. In this study, body mass index, waist circumference, triponderal mass index, HbA1c, homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (Tg/HDL), the lipid accumulation product (LAP) index, the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the aminotransferase (AT) index were examined together, and their diagnostic values in the clinical treatment of NAFLD were compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventynine adolescents (10-19 years old) with obesity who were admitted to a pediatric clinic between January and August 2022 and who were diagnosed with exogenous obesity without any comorbidities were included in the study. The presence of NAFLD was evaluated by liver magnetic resonance imaging. The laboratory findings were obtained retrospectively from system records. Parameters were compared between the NAFLD (+) and NAFLD (-) groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the most effective factors for NAFLD treatment. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed with significant indices. Sex, HOMA-IR, TyG and AT indices were evaluated together with multivariate analysis to design a diagnostic scale. RESULTS HbA1c, HOMA-IR, AT indices and TyG indices were greater in the NAFLD (+) group (P = 0.012; P = 0.001; P = 0.012; P = 0.002, respectively). There was a positive correlation between liver fat percentage and HOMA-IR, the TyG index, the AT index, and Tg/HDL. According to the regression analysis, male sex and elevated HOMA-IR were determined to be significant risk factors for the presence of NAFLD. A probability scale with 4 parameters [sex, HOMA-IR, the TyG index, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)] was designed with 82.5% specificity and 80% sensitivity. CONCLUSION Evaluation of the HOMA-IR and TyG indices, especially in high-risk patients, will support the diagnosis of NAFLD via ultrasonography. A probability scale with ALT, HOMA-IR, TyG, and sex data with a diagnostic accuracy of 80% may aid in the diagnosis of NAFLD in adolescents with obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Yetim
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
- Adolescent Health PhD Program, Institute of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Memduh Şahin
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Health Sciences, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Başakşehir, İstanbul, Turkey.
| | - İbrahim Kandemir
- Department of Pediatrics, Biruni University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Betül Bulakçı
- Department of Family Medicine, Istanbul Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Melike Tuğrul Aksakal
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
- Adolescent Health PhD Program, Institute of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Edanur Karapınar
- Department of Radiology, Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hayrettin Sever
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Health Sciences, Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Başakşehir, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Firdevs Baş
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
- Adolescent Health PhD Program, Institute of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
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Gulati R, Gulati K, Durrani HM, Sahni H, Mhanna MJ, Kaelber DC, Alkhouri N, Suri R. Missed Opportunities in Guideline-Based Fatty Liver Screening Among 3.5 Million Children. Acad Pediatr 2024; 24:815-819. [PMID: 38278482 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Determine screening rates and examine socio-demographic characteristics of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MAFLD) screening in a large population of obese children. METHODS We used Explorys (IBM) which contains aggregated population-level electronic health record data from approximately 360 hospitals and 317,000 providers across the United States to determine MAFLD screening rates. In children 10 to 14 years, obesity was determined based on body mass index ≥ 95%, or encounter with an international classification of disease obesity code. We determined screening rates by calculating the percentage of children with obesity who had an alanine aminotransferase tested, further analyzed by gender, race, and insurance. RESULTS Of 3,558,420 children, 513,170 (14.4%) were obese. Of obese children, only 9.3% were screened for MAFLD. Females were more likely screened than males (odds ratio (OR) 1.09 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.07-1.12)); White children were more likely screened than non-White children (OR 1.21 (95% CI: 1.18-1.23)), and children with Medicaid more likely screened than children with non-Medicaid insurance (OR 1.34 (95% CI: 1.32-1.37)). CONCLUSIONS The percentage of obese children receiving screening for MAFLD was low. Female gender, White race, and Medicaid insurance were associated with increased screening rates. These findings highlight the need to increase adherence to MAFLD screening. Reporting screening as a health quality measure may reduce implementation gaps in MAFLD screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reema Gulati
- Department of Pediatrics (R Gulati, DC Kaelber, and HM Durrani), The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Kabir Gulati
- Stephen M. Ross School of Business (K Gulati), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich
| | - Hafiza Mehreen Durrani
- Department of Pediatrics (R Gulati, DC Kaelber, and HM Durrani), The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
| | - Herman Sahni
- Baldwin Wallace University (H Sahni), Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Maroun J Mhanna
- Department of Pediatrics (MJ Mhanna), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, La
| | - David C Kaelber
- Department of Pediatrics (R Gulati, DC Kaelber, and HM Durrani), The MetroHealth System and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Roamaa Suri
- Northeastern University (R Suri), Boston, Mass
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Mandato C, Vajro P. Serum alanine aminotransferase: Are we still far from a one-size-fits-all pediatric reference cutoff strategy? J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024; 78:453-456. [PMID: 38504398 DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mandato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", Pediatrics Section, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
| | - Pietro Vajro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", Pediatrics Section, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
- European Laboratory for the Investigation of Food Induced Diseases, Naples, Italy
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Ferreira S, Mendes J, Couto D, Ferreira D, Rêgo C. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Continuous Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents with Overweight/Obesity. ACTA MEDICA PORT 2024; 37:177-186. [PMID: 38330918 DOI: 10.20344/amp.19834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the leading cause of pediatric chronic liver disease. Although nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is closely associated with obesity, its relationship with metabolic syndrome in children is not fully understood. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and a combination of cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents with overweight/obesity, using a pediatric metabolic syndrome score (PsiMS) to predict metabolic syndrome. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Subjects with overweight/obesity aged 10 to 17 followed at two clinical centers in Portugal (2018 - 2021) were enrolled. The independent association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with PsiMS, and of other potential predictors, was tested through multiple regression analyses. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was performed to estimate the optimal cutoff of PsiMS to discriminate metabolic syndrome. RESULTS Eighty-four subjects were included (median age at baseline 11.5 years). The prevalence rate of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was 51% and the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome was 7%. The mean PsiMS was 2.05 ± 0.48 at the first evaluation, and 2.11 ± 0.52 at the last evaluation (mean follow-up time was 15 months). The nonalcoholic fatty liver disease group had significantly (p < 0.05) higher weight and body mass index z-scores, higher rate of severe obesity and higher waist circumference percentile. PsiMS was highly accurate in predicting metabolic syndrome (area under the curve = 0.96), with an optimal cutoff of 2.46 (sensitivity 100%, specificity 89%). In the univariate analysis, no statistically significant association was observed between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and PsiMS. In the multiple regression analysis, female sex had a negative association with PsiMS (first and last evaluation). Independent predictors of a higher PsiMS at first evaluation were: ≥ 2 metabolic syndrome criteria, body mass index z-score, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. At the last evaluation, independent predictors of a higher PsiMS were: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, baseline PsiMS and body mass index increase from baseline. CONCLUSION The results suggest a good performance of the PsiMS to assess metabolic syndrome and that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with PsiMS at follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Ferreira
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira. Covilhã; Faculty of Health Sciences. Universidade da Beira Interior. Covilhã. Portugal
| | - Joana Mendes
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira. Covilhã. Portugal
| | - Daniela Couto
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira. Covilhã. Portugal
| | - Dário Ferreira
- Department of Mathematics and Center of Mathematics and Applications. Universidade da Beira Interior. Covilhã. Portugal
| | - Carla Rêgo
- Hospital CUF Porto. Oporto; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS). Faculty of Medicine. Universidade do Porto. Oporto; Faculty of Biotechnology. Universidade Católica. Oporto. Portugal
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Kalveram L, Baumann U, De Bruyne R, Draijer L, Janczyk W, Kelly D, Koot BG, Lacaille F, Lefere S, Lev HM, Lubrecht J, Mann JP, Mosca A, Rajwal S, Socha P, Vreugdenhil A, Alisi A, Hudert CA. Noninvasive scores are poorly predictive of histological fibrosis in paediatric fatty liver disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024; 78:27-35. [PMID: 38291699 DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in children. Roughly a quarter of paediatric patients with NAFLD develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Here, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of previously published noninvasive fibrosis scores to predict liver fibrosis in a large European cohort of paediatric patients with NAFLD. METHODS The 457 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD from 10 specialized centers were included. We assessed diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of any (F ≥ 1), moderate (F ≥ 2) or advanced (F ≥ 3) fibrosis for the AST/platelet ratio (APRI), Fibrosis 4 score (FIB-4), paediatric NAFLD fibrosis score (PNFS) and paediatric NAFLD fibrosis index (PNFI). RESULTS Patients covered the full spectrum of fibrosis (F0: n = 103; F1: n = 230; F2: n = 78; F3: n = 44; F4: n = 2). None of the scores were able to accurately distinguish the presence of any fibrosis from no fibrosis. For the detection of moderate fibrosis, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were: APRI: 0.697, FIB-4: 0.663, PNFI: 0.515, PNFS: 0.665, while for detection of advanced fibrosis AUROCs were: APRI: 0.759, FIB-4: 0.611, PNFI: 0.521, PNFS: 0.712. Fibrosis scores showed no diagnostic benefit over using ALT ≤ 50/ > 50 IU/L as a cut-off. CONCLUSIONS Established fibrosis scores lack diagnostic accuracy to replace liver biopsy for staging of fibrosis, giving similar results as compared to using ALT alone. New diagnostic tools are needed for Noninvasive risk-stratification in paediatric NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kalveram
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nephrology and Metabolic Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität zu Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrich Baumann
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver, and Metabolic Diseases Hannover, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ruth De Bruyne
- Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laura Draijer
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wojciech Janczyk
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Paediatrics, Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Deirdre Kelly
- Liver unit, Birmingham Children's Hospital, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Bart G Koot
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Florence Lacaille
- Gastroenterology-Hepatology-Nutrition Unit, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants maladies, Paris, France
| | - Sander Lefere
- Hepatology Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hadar Moran Lev
- Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Dana Dwek Children's Hospital, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Judith Lubrecht
- Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Jake P Mann
- Liver unit, Birmingham Children's Hospital, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Antonella Mosca
- Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Nutrition, and Liver Transplantation Unit, Bambino Gesu' Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sanjay Rajwal
- Children's Liver Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds Children's Hospital, Leeds, UK
| | - Piotr Socha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Paediatrics, Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anita Vreugdenhil
- Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Anna Alisi
- Genetics of Complex Phenotypes Research Unit, Bambino Gesu' Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Christian A Hudert
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nephrology and Metabolic Medicine, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität zu Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Seral-Cortes M, Sabroso-Lasa S, Gonzalez-Gross M, Quesada-Gonzalez C, Stehle P, Gottrand F, Marcos A, Esperanza-Diaz L, Manios Y, Androutsos O, Widhalm K, Molnar D, Huybrechts I, Muntaner M, Meirhaeghe A, Salazar-Tortosa D, Ruiz JR, Esteban LM, Labayen I, Moreno LA. The body mass index increases the genetic risk scores' ability to predict risk of hepatic damage in European adolescents: The HELENA study. Eur J Clin Invest 2023; 53:e14081. [PMID: 37608495 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatic disorders are often complex and multifactorial, modulated by genetic and environmental determinants. During the last years, the hepatic disease has been progressively established from early stages in life. The use of genetic risk scores (GRS) to predict the genetic susceptibility to a particular phenotype among youth has gained interest in recent years. Moreover, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) blood biomarker is often considered as hepatic screening tool, in combination with imaging techniques. The aim of the present study was to develop an ALT-specific GRS to help in the evaluation of hepatic damage risk in European adolescents. METHODS A total of 972 adolescents (51.3% females), aged 12.5-17.5 years, from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study were included in the analyses. The sample incorporated adolescents in all body mass index (BMI) categories and was divided considering healthy/unhealthy ALT levels, using sex-specific cut-off points. From 1212 a priori ALT-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) extracted from candidate gene selection, a first screening of 234 SNPs univariately associated was established, selecting seven significant SNPs (p < .05) in the multivariate model. An unweighted GRS (uGRS) was developed by summing the number of reference alleles, and a weighted GRS (wGRS), by multiplying each allele to its estimated coefficient. RESULTS The uGRS and wGRS were significantly associated with ALT (p < .001). The area under curve was obtained integrating BMI as clinical factor, improving the predictive ability for uGRS (.7039) and wGRS (.7035), using 10-fold internal cross-validation. CONCLUSIONS Considering BMI status, both GRSs could contribute as complementary tools to help in the early diagnosis of hepatic damage risk in European adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Seral-Cortes
- Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Sabroso-Lasa
- Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group (GMEG), Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcela Gonzalez-Gross
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- ImFine Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Nutritional Physiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Carlos Quesada-Gonzalez
- ImFine Research Group, Department of Health and Human Performance, Facultad de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Applied Mathematics to Information and Communication Technologies, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Peter Stehle
- Institute of Nutritional and Food Sciences, Nutritional Physiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Frederic Gottrand
- CHU Lille, Inserm U1286 INFINITE, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Ascension Marcos
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Immunonutrition Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ligia Esperanza-Diaz
- Immunonutrition Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Yannis Manios
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science & Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
- Institute of Agri-food and Life Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Odysseas Androutsos
- Lab of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sport Science and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece
| | - Kurt Widhalm
- Division of Clinical Nutrition and Prevention, Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Austrian Academic Institute for Clinical Nutrition, Vienna, Austria
| | - Denes Molnar
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Inge Huybrechts
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
- French Network for Nutrition and Cancer Research (NACRe network), Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Manon Muntaner
- UMR1167, RID-AGE, Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Centre Hosp, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Aline Meirhaeghe
- UMR1167, RID-AGE, Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Centre Hosp, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Diego Salazar-Tortosa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Jonatan R Ruiz
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sports Science, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs.Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Idoia Labayen
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Luis A Moreno
- Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Zhou L, Zhang L, Zhang L, Yi W, Yu X, Mei H, Xiao H, Wang Y, Qin H, Xiong X, Yan S, Dong H, Chen P, Chen X. Analysis of risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in hospitalized children with obesity before the late puberty stage. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1224816. [PMID: 37720532 PMCID: PMC10501779 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1224816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of obese pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in central China and verify the applicability of some known risk factors for pediatric NAFLD before late puberty. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study. A total of 1,029 inpatients at Wuhan Children's Hospital before the late puberty stage were enrolled in the study, including 815 children with obesity (non-NAFLD group) and 214 children with obesity and NAFLD (NAFLD group) diagnosed by liver ultrasound. Subgroup analyses were performed according to sex and puberty. The anthropometric indices and laboratory test data of these 1,029 children were sorted. After intergroup comparison, a logistic regression model was used to determine the risk factors for pediatric NAFLD. Significant risk factors for NAFLD were further tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate their ability to predict an early diagnosis of NAFLD. Results The NAFLD group had a mean age of 11.03 ± 1.66, with 11.18 ± 1.66 and 10.27 ± 1.45 years for male and female children, respectively (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Even subdivided by both sex and puberty, raised body mass index (BMI), homeostatic model-insulin resistance, triglycerides, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) were still found in the non-NAFLD and NAFLD groups (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that BMI (odds ratio [OR], 1.468;95% confidence interval [CI], 1.356-1.590; p<0.001) and ALT (OR, 1.073;95%CI, 1.060-1.087; P<0.001) were two most independent risk factors for NAFLD. The maximal OR for BMI was 1.721 (95% CI, 1.336-2.217). In the female group, the maximal OR of ALT was found to be 1.104 (95% CI, 1.061-1.148). Age and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and γ-GT levels were also risk factors, but they appeared only in some groups. The results of the ROC analysis showed that ALT was a better predictor of pediatric NAFLD than BMI. The maximum area under the ROC curve in six of the nine groups belongs to ALT. Conclusions BMI, ALT, and age are risk factors for NAFLD in children with obesity before late puberty. BMI had the greatest exposure risk for NAFLD, and ALT had the highest predictive value for the diagnosis of NAFLD. At the stratified level, for exposure risk, age was specific to the male sex, TSH was specific to the early puberty stage, and γ-GT was specific to the female sex plus the prepuberty stage. On a stratified level, for the female sex, even with age stratification, BMI rather than ALT has a better ability for the diagnosis of NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lishan Zhou
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Linli Zhang
- Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuchang Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wei Yi
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hong Mei
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Haiyan Xiao
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuji Wang
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huan Qin
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoli Xiong
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Suqi Yan
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaohong Chen
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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10
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Patel-Sanchez N, Perito E, Tsai P, Raymond-Flesch M, Lodish M, Sarkar M. Prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increased with type 2 diabetes mellitus in overweight/obese youth with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2023; 36:441-446. [PMID: 37060356 DOI: 10.1515/jpem-2022-0527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) increases non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk and severity in adults, but data in adolescents with diverse backgrounds are limited. We evaluated NAFLD prevalence and characterized NAFLD risk factors in overweight/obese adolescents by PCOS status. METHODS Retrospective study of overweight (n=52)/obese (n=271) female adolescents (12-18 years old), evaluated clinically 2012-2020, was conducted comparing PCOS patients to age-matched non-PCOS controls. NAFLD was defined as ALT≥44U/L x2 and/or ≥80U/L x1, hepatic steatosis on imaging, or NAFLD on biopsy, in absence of other liver disease. Metabolic comorbidities were captured. Log-binomial regression models estimated prevalence risk ratios (PR). RESULTS NAFLD prevalence was 19.1 % in adolescents with PCOS (n=161), similar to those without (n=162) (16.8 %, p=0.6). Adolescents with PCOS were more likely to have insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, and higher triglycerides (p<0.05). Those with PCOS and concomitant type 2 diabetes (T2DM) did have increased NAFLD risk (PR 2.5, p=0.04), but those with PCOS without T2DM did not (PR 0.9, p=0.8). Adolescents with PCOS and NAFLD, compared to those with PCOS without NAFLD, had a higher prevalence of metabolic comorbidities including hypercholesterolemia (77 vs. 48 %), T2DM (29 vs. 8 %), and hypertriglyceridemia (65 vs. 37 %) (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Almost 1 in 5 overweight/obese female adolescents had NAFLD, but PCOS did not increase NAFLD risk in this diverse cohort. Among young women with PCOS, concomitant T2DM did increase the risk for NAFLD. Closer monitoring of obesity comorbidities in adolescents with PCOS is essential for optimizing health and merits updating current guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrata Patel-Sanchez
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco, Benioff Children's Hospital- Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Emily Perito
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of California, San Francisco, Benioff Children's Hospital- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patrika Tsai
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of California, San Francisco, Benioff Children's Hospital- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marissa Raymond-Flesch
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maya Lodish
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Monika Sarkar
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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11
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Lin YC, Chang PF, Ni YH. Updated upper limits of normal serum alanine aminotrasferase levels for screening metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in obese children. J Formos Med Assoc 2022; 121:2548-2555. [PMID: 35738972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a cost-effective screening test for asymptomatic liver diseases. The aims of this study are to redefine the ULNs of ALT using the 2010-2012 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) database and to determine whether the updated ULNs can better screen for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in obese children. METHODS Reference data were obtained from 2895 NAHSIT participants (1442 boys, 1453 girls) aged 6-18 years. Participants with any of MAFLD-related metabolic risk factors, including overweight/obesity, elevated triglyceride, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high fasting glucose, were excluded. This study compared the sensitivities of different ULNs of ALT for detecting MAFLD in our previously established cohort of obese children. RESULTS The ULNs of ALT defined as the 95th percentile in metabolically healthy NAHSIT participants were 23 IU/L for boys and 18 IU/L for girls. When using the updated ULNs, the percentages of elevated ALT levels were 13.0% in boys and 7.8% in girls of all NAHSIT participants. When using the updated ULNs of ALT to detect MAFLD in obese children, the sensitivity was 84.0% in boys and 74.3% in girls. In contrast, when using the conventional ALT cutoff (>40 IU/L), the sensitivity decreased to 61.4% in boys and 36.4% in girls. CONCLUSION After taking into account MAFLD-related metabolic risk factors, the ULNs of ALT are 23 IU/L for boys and 18 IU/L for girls in Taiwan. The updated ULNs may be better cutoffs for screening MAFLD in obese children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Cheng Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia Eastern University of Science and Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Pi-Feng Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hsuan Ni
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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12
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Mandato C, Vajro P. Is the perfect screening of paediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease still an unmet target? Acta Paediatr 2022; 111:2256-2258. [PMID: 36169170 DOI: 10.1111/apa.16547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mandato
- Section of Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Pietro Vajro
- Section of Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
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Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children. Although environmental factors are major contributors to early onset, children have both shared and unique genetic risk alleles as compared with adults with NAFLD. Treatment relies on reducing environmental risk factors, but many children have persistent diseases. No medications are approved specifically for the treatment of NAFLD, but some anti-obesity or diabetes treatments may be beneficial. Pediatric NAFLD increases the risk of diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors. Long-term prospective studies are needed to determine the long-term risk of hepatic and non-hepatic morbidity and mortality in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavra A Xanthakos
- Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's, Department of Pediatrics, Director, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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14
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Mosca A, Della Volpe L, Alisi A, Veraldi S, Francalanci P, Maggiore G. Non-Invasive Diagnostic Test for Advanced Fibrosis in Adolescents With Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:885576. [PMID: 35558366 PMCID: PMC9086671 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.885576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multifaceted disease that includes a wide spectrum of liver damage. The presence and the degree of fibrosis are considered important factors for the prognosis of NAFLD and in predicting the risk of developing cirrhosis. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of four fibrosis scores (aspartate aminotransferase/Platelet Index [APRI], FIB-4, NAFLD Fibrosis Score [NFS], and Hepamet) in predicting different degrees of fibrosis among children with biopsy-proven NAFLD. METHODS About 286 adolescents [mean age 14.3 years ± 2.5; 154 (53.6%) males], referred between January 2014 and December 2019, with biopsy-proven NAFLD were enrolled. RESULTS About 173 (60.4%) patients presented fibrosis at histological analysis. In particular: 140 (49.3%) patients had F = 1, 31 (10.8%), had F = 2 and 2 (0.66%) had F = 3. APRI (AUROC 0.619, 95% CI 0.556-0.679) and Hepamet (AUROC 0.778, 95% CI 0.722-0.828) scores had significant (p < 0.001) accuracy to distinguish subjects with fibrosis; while NFS and FIB-4 had not. APRI had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 62.77% (95% CI 57.96-67.35) and an negative predictive value (NPV) of 52.01% (95% CI 46.54-57.43); Hepamet a PPV of 63.24% (95% CI 59.95-66.41) and an NPV of 61.29% (52.9-69.01). CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that Hepamet and APRI perform better than NFS and FIB-4 for identifying fibrosis in patients with NAFLD, but do not have PPVs so high to be considered diagnostic. Therefore, they cannot be employed, in children, for a certain diagnosis of fibrosis or its progression and cannot replace liver biopsy as the gold diagnostic standard. It is, therefore, necessary to continue to research and develop new markers of exclusive fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Mosca
- Hepatogastroenterology, Nutrition, Digestive Endoscopy and Liver Transplant Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Della Volpe
- Hepatogastroenterology, Nutrition, Digestive Endoscopy and Liver Transplant Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Alisi
- Research Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvio Veraldi
- Hepatogastroenterology, Nutrition, Digestive Endoscopy and Liver Transplant Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Francalanci
- Pathology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Maggiore
- Hepatogastroenterology, Nutrition, Digestive Endoscopy and Liver Transplant Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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15
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Al-Baiaty FDR, Ismail A, Abdul Latiff Z, Muhammad Nawawi KN, Raja Ali RA, Mokhtar NM. Possible Hepatoprotective Effect of Tocotrienol-Rich Fraction Vitamin E in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children and Adolescents. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:667247. [PMID: 34307250 PMCID: PMC8295474 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.667247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity has become a worldwide health concern among the pediatric population. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is growing rapidly, alongside the high prevalence of obesity. NAFLD refers to a multifactorial disorder that includes simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with or devoid of fibrosis. NAFLD is regarded as a systemic disorder that influences glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism with hepatic manifestations. A sedentary lifestyle and poor choice of food remain the major contributors to the disease. Prompt and timely diagnosis of NAFLD among overweight children is crucial to prevent the progression of the condition. Yet, there has been no approved pharmacological treatment for NAFLD in adults or children. As indicated by clinical evidence, lifestyle modification plays a vital role as a primary form of therapy for managing and treating NAFLD. Emphasis is on the significance of caloric restriction, particularly macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins) in altering the disease consequences. A growing number of studies are now focusing on establishing a link between vitamins and NAFLD. Different types of vitamin supplements have been shown to be effective in treating NAFLD. In this review, we elaborate on the potential role of vitamin E with a high content of tocotrienol as a therapeutic alternative in treating NAFLD in obese children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah D R Al-Baiaty
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Aziana Ismail
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zarina Abdul Latiff
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Khairul Najmi Muhammad Nawawi
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,GUT Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Raja Affendi Raja Ali
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,GUT Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Norfilza Mohd Mokhtar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.,GUT Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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16
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Berenguer M. Fat, cancer, the gut-liver axis and rare liver diseases. JHEP Rep 2020; 2:100189. [PMID: 33083774 PMCID: PMC7553985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Berenguer
- Hospital U La Fe (Servicio de Medicina Digestivo-Torre F5), Valencia 46026, Spain
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Morandi A, Di Sessa A, Zusi C, Umano GR, El Mazloum D, Fornari E, Miraglia Del Giudice E, Targher G, Maffeis C. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Estimated Insulin Resistance in Obese Youth: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:5897057. [PMID: 32841326 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and predicts type 2 diabetes. Currently, it is uncertain whether NAFLD may directly cause IR or vice versa. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that NAFLD is causally related to IR. DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) in 904 obese children/adolescents using an NAFLD-related genetic risk score (GRS) as an instrumental variable. We assessed NAFLD by ultrasonography and IR by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). We also interrogated the MAGIC Consortium dataset of 46 186 adults to assess the association between PNPLA3 rs738409 (ie, the most robust NAFLD-related polymorphism) and HOMA-IR, and we performed a 2-sample MR with 2 large datasets to test reverse causation (HOMA-IR increasing the risk of NAFLD). RESULTS Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease prevalence increased by 20% for every increase in the GRS (β-coefficient = 0.20, P < 0.001), and NAFLD was associated with ln-HOMA-IR (β-coefficient = 0.28, P < 0.001). Thus, the expected increase in ln-HOMA-IR for every increase in the GRS (expected β-coefficient) was 0.056 (0.28*0.20) in the case of complete NAFLD-HOMA-IR causal association, and 0.042 in the case of 75% causality. In our cohort, the GRS did not predict ln-HOMA-IR (β-coefficient = 0.007, P = 0.75). In the MAGIC cohort, the PNPLA3 rs738409 did not associate with ln-HOMA-IR. The 2-sample MR failed to show a causal association between ln-HOMA-IR and NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that genetically-influenced NAFLD does not increase HOMA-IR, and genetically-influenced HOMA-IR does not increase the risk of NAFLD. Shared pathogenic pathways or NAFLD subtypes not "captured" by our MR design might underpin the association between NAFLD and HOMA-IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Morandi
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Di Sessa
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Zusi
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Rosaria Umano
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Dania El Mazloum
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Elena Fornari
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Emanuele Miraglia Del Giudice
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Targher
- Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudio Maffeis
- Regional Centre for Pediatric Diabetes, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Mosca A, Panera N, Crudele A, Alisi A. Noninvasive diagnostic tools for pediatric NAFLD: where are we now? Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 14:1035-1046. [PMID: 32715793 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2020.1801413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of liver disease in the pediatric population. It is a significant liver complication of obesity that also prominently affects children. Over the past decade, several noninvasive methods have been investigated for replacing liver biopsy to identify which children with NAFLD have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. These methods that aim to differentiate the type and extent of liver damage are based on two main different methodologies: a 'biological' approach centered on the quantification of circulating biomarkers; and a 'physical' approach established by analyzing different imaging data. AREAS COVERED In this review, we illustrate the state of the art and recent discoveries on noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of NAFLD, NASH, and advanced fibrosis. EXPERT OPINION Currently, noninvasive tests cannot diagnose NASH or determine the degree of fibrosis. However, several lines of evidence have suggested that if these tests are used in a complementary way with other laboratory tests and imaging they have the potential to be used to monitor progression of disease and response to therapy in pediatric NAFLD. Future scientific research will focus on combining these methods with multiple potential predictors of genetic susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Mosca
- Hepatology Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital , Rome, Italy
| | - Nadia Panera
- Research Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS , Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Crudele
- Research Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS , Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Alisi
- Research Unit of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS , Rome, Italy
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19
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Effects of Dietary and Lifestyle Interventions on Liver, Clinical and Metabolic Parameters in Children and Adolescents with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12092864. [PMID: 32961669 PMCID: PMC7551480 DOI: 10.3390/nu12092864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 5.5–10.3% of children worldwide, while in obese individuals, it increases to almost 34%. Pediatric NAFLD is consistently associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. As no pharmacological agents exist for the treatment of NAFLD, lifestyle modifications remain the only therapy. However, as not all overweight/obese children have NAFLD, high-quality data, focused exclusively on NAFLD population are needed. Therefore, the present systematic review assessed the efficacy of lifestyle (diet or exercise) based on randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) on liver, anthropometric, glucose, and lipid parameters in children, with imaging or biopsy-proven NAFLD. In general, the results were inconclusive and therefore no specific recommendations could be drawn. In most studies, differences were derived from within group comparisons, which are known to be highly misleading. However, both low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets could benefit liver outcomes, as long as weight loss is achieved, but not necessary glucose and lipid parameters. No RCTs were found on exercise alone, as compared to no intervention on pediatric NAFLD. Concerning diet plus exercise interventions, all studies led to improvements in liver outcomes accompanied with weight loss. Resolution of NAFLD was found in considerably high percentages, while improvements were also seen in glucose but were modest in lipid parameters.
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Pacifico L, Perla FM, Andreoli G, Grieco R, Pierimarchi P, Chiesa C. Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated With Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Overweight/Obese Youths. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:158. [PMID: 32351917 PMCID: PMC7174581 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Recent studies in adult non-elderly and elderly individuals have reported a link between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and sarcopenia. Nonetheless, whether this relationship would be found outside these populations it is still unknown. Hence, we evaluated the relationship between NAFLD and skeletal muscle mass in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. Methods: Two-hundred and thirty-four overweight/obese youths were enrolled. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasononography, after exclusion of infectious and metabolic disorders. Forty of the patients with NAFLD had also liver biopsy. Total and regional lean body mass and total fat mass measurements were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The relative muscle mass (RMM) was defined as the percent of muscle mass (kg) relative to the sum of muscle and fat (kg) mass. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was calculated by the sum of muscle masses of the four limbs (kg), and expressed as percent of body weight. Results: Subjects were stratified according to tertiles of RMM. The prevalence of abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, NAFLD as well as biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was significantly increased in the lowest tertile of RMM. After controlling for age, sex and Tanner stage, children in the lowest tertile of RMM had an increased risk for NAFLD (OR= 2.80, 95% CI=1.57-5.02) compared to those in the other two tertiles. This association persisted after additional adjustments for clinical and metabolic variables. Similarly, the risk of NAFLD in the lowest tertile of ASM/weight index was significantly higher compared to those in the other two tertiles after adjustment for the above confounders. Conclusions: This is the first study to establish an independent association between low muscle mass and NAFLD/NASH in overweight/obese youths. Considering the worldwide increase of pediatric obesity, measurements of muscle mass may serve as useful method of identifying among obese children those at high metabolic risk who may need intensive lifestyle interventions to prevent NAFLD and its progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Pacifico
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Rosangela Grieco
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Chiesa
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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