Objective: To investigate the correlation between advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels and biochemical and histopathological findings in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Methods: Sixty biopsy-proven NASH patients and 60 individuals with ultrasonographically healthy liver (the control group) were included in the study. AOPP levels were determined in all the participants and liver histopathological examination based on liver biopsy was performed in NASH patients. The NASH activity score (NAS), hepatosteatosis, liver inflammation and fibrosis were evaluated.
Results: Serum AOPP level was significantly higher in the NASH group than that in the control group (461.8 ± 201.9 μmol/L vs 191.7 ± 152.5 μmol/L, P < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 88.3% for the diagnosis of NASH with an AOPP cut-off value of 332 μmol/L (the area under ROC curve 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.82-0.94, P < 0.01). AOPP levels were positively correlated with NAS (r = 0.27, P = 0.035), fibrosis (r = 0.27, P = 0.037) and inflammation (r = 0.34, P = 0.008), but not the grade of steatosis (r = 0.02, P = 0.83) or ballooning (r = 0.02, P = 0.55).
Conclusions: AOPP levels are significantly higher in patients with NASH than in those with ultrasonographically healthy liver. AOPP levels are positively correlated with biochemical and histopathological findings (NAS, liver inflammation and fibrosis), indicating that AOPP may play a role in the development of liver fibrosis and inflammation and may predict liver histopathology in NASH.
Keywords: advanced oxidation protein products; fibrosis; inflammation; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
© 2013 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.