Serum resistin levels in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and their relationship to severity of liver disease

Background: Resistin is a hormone that is linked to the development of insulin resistance (IR), but information on the direct relationship of resistin levels in humans with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and their effect on the histological severity of NAFLD, is lacking. Objective: The aim of the current study is to determine the circulating resistin levels obtained from patients with NAFLD and to correlate them with insulin resistance and hepatic histological features. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 30 consecutive patients with liver-biopsy-proven NAFLD and 30 subjects as controls. Serum resistin levels were measured. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all subjects, and serum insulin, C-peptide, and lipoprotein levels were also measured. Results: Mean serum resistin level and BMI in the NAFLD group were significantly higher than in the controls (both P < 0.001). Both men and women in the NAFLD group had higher mean serum resistin levels than did the men and women in the control group (all P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the percentage of hepatic steatosis, sex, BMI, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA(IR)] were related to serum resistin levels. Conclusion: These data suggest increased resistin levels in NAFLD patients which are related to histological severity of the disease. These findings support the link between resistin, insulin resistance and BMI in these patients.