Biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Chinese population: a cross-sectional survey

Liver biopsy is the gold standard method for diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but it is invasive. In this study, relationships between common biochemical indexes and NAFLD were analyzed to explore the clinical value of these non-invasive indicators for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Anthropometric data and biochemical indexes were compared between 204 patients with NAFLD, admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, between January and August 2017, and 521 contemporaneous healthy controls. Male/female ratio, age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and proportions with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or hyperuricemia were higher in the NAFLD group than the control group (P<0.05), Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, uric acid (UA), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol levels were also higher in the NAFLD group (P<0.05). However, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was lower in the NAFLD group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI, AST, UA, FPG, and TG were associated with susceptibility to NAFLD, while HDL-C was protective. Finally, receiver operating characteristic curves of BMI and TG/HDL-C ratios identified patients with NAFLD. Thus, NAFLD was closely associated with glucose and lipid metabolism disorders, along with high FPG, BMI, TG, AST, and UA and low HDL-C. All are risk factors for NAFLD.