Clinical & Medical Biochemistry

Abstract

Osteocalcin: A New Biomarker for Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Children and Adolescents

Hasan Tarek Abd-Allah Ebrahim and Eman Gamal El-Behery

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease in adults but uncommon in Pediatrics. Patients with chronic liver disease are at increasing risk of developing metabolic bone disease which may be attributed to decreased Osteocalcin which is involved in bone extracellular matrix mineralization. Aim of the work: was to measure serum osteocalcin levels in children and adolescents with NAFLD and to investigate the relationship with variables degrees of NAFLD. Materials and methods: This study was carried out upon 60 children with NAFL detected by abdominal ultrasonography. Forty apparently healthy children, matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were chosen as controls. They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, investigations included liver function tests, fasting serum glucose and insulin levels, Homeostasis Model Assessment method of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), serum osteocalcin level and abdominal Ultrasonography to assess semiquantitavely the degree of steatosis. Results: Mean serum osteocalcin level was significantly lower in patients than in controls. Mean serum level of ALT, total cholesterol and triglycerides, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were markedly increases as the hepatic steatosis advancing in severity. There was a parallel decrease of mean serum osteocalcin level with advancing the degree of hepatic steatosis by ultrasound. Serum osteocalcin levels were inversely correlated with the values of W/H ratio, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. Conclusions: NAFLD had lower serum levels of osteocalcin compared to controls. It were inversely associated with the degrees of steatosis so can considered as a biomarker for severity NAFLD in pediatric age.