Korean J Obes.  2007 Sep;16(3):95-101.

The Relationship between Serum Adiponectin and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children

• Kim JH
• Kim SY
• Shin JY
• Choi BM
• Choung JT
• Park SH
• Lee KH

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In obese adults, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is closely associated with adiponectin and insulin resistance. We investigated the relationship of serum adiponectin with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese children. METHOD: The study population consisted of children from 7 to 15 years old. We measured 8 hour fasting serum glucose, liver enzymes, insulin, adiponectin and lipid profile. We performed ultrasonography to evaluate the fatty liver in 49 obese children.
RESULTS
1) Mean body mass index was 23.95 kg/m2. 2) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was 14.16 IU/L in normal weight, 44.65 IU/L in overweight, 46.71 IU/L in obese children. There were significant differences in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol among normal weight, overweight, obese children. 3) Serum adiponectin was 30.63 microgram/mL in normal weight, 24.05 microgram/mL in overweight and 20.84 microgram/mL in obese children. 4) Among the obese children, 17 subjects (34.7%) were presumed to have NASH. Reduced serum adiponectin level was noted among obese children with presumed NASH in contrast to those of obese children with normal liver.
CONCLUSION
In this study, decreased adiponectin level had closely related with presumed NASH in obese children. Our results suggest that adiponectin plays an important role in the development of NASH in obese children.

Keyword

Obesity; Children; Adiponectin; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

MeSH Terms

Adiponectin*
Adolescent
Adult
Alanine Transaminase
Blood Glucose
Body Mass Index
Child*
Cholesterol
Fasting
Fatty Liver*
Humans
Insulin
Insulin Resistance
Liver
Obesity
Overweight
Ultrasonography
Adiponectin
Alanine Transaminase
Cholesterol
Insulin