Article type: Research Article
Authors: Colak, Yasar | Senates, Ebubekir | Coskunpinar, Ender | Oltulu, Yasemin Musteri | Zemheri, Ebru | Ozturk, Oguzhan | Doganay, Levent | Mesci, Banu | Yilmaz, Yusuf; | Enc, Feruze Yilmaz | Kiziltas, Safak | Ulasoglu, Celal | Tuncer, Ilyas
Affiliations: Department of Gastroenterology, Istanbul Medeniyet
University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey | Department of Gastroenterology, Dicle University
Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey | Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of
Experimental Medicine (DETAE), Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey | Department of Pathology, Istanbul Medeniyet
University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey | Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Medeniyet
University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey | Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University
School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey | Institute of Gastroenterology, Marmara University,
Istanbul, Turkey
Note: [] Corresponding author: Yasar Colak, Department of
Gastroenterology, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, 34730,
Istanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90 216 566 40 00; Fax: +90 216 566 40 23; E-mail: dryasarcolak@yahoo.com
Abstract: Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between
the histological fibrosis stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and
serum connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) to determine the usefulness of
this relationship in clinical practice. Methods: Serum samples were
collected from 51 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 28 healthy controls,
and serum levels of CTGF were assayed by ELISA. Results: Levels of CTGF
were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD compared with controls (P=0.001). The
serum CTGF levels were significantly increased, that correlated
with histological fibrosis stage, in patients with NAFLD [in patients with no
fibrosis (stage 0) 308.2 ± 142.9, with mild fibrosis (stage 1–2) 519.9 ± 375.2 and
with advanced fibrosis (stage 3–4) 1353.2 ± 610 ng/l, P <
0.001]. Also serum level of CTGF was found as an independent predictor of
histological fibrosis stage in patients with NAFLD (β = 0.662, t=5.6,
P <0.001). The area under the ROC curve was estimated 0.931 to separate
patients with severe fibrosis from patients with other fibrotic stages. Conclusion: Serum levels of CTGF may be a clinical utility for distinguishing
NAFLD patients with and without advanced fibrosis.
Keywords: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), fibrosis
DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2012-0907
Journal: Disease Markers, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 77-83, 2012
Received 11 July 2012
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Accepted 11 July 2012
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Published: 2012
