Prolactin is a Key Factor for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children
This study investigates whether serum prolactin (PRL) is a key factor for
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children. A total of 691 obese
childred participated in this study and were divided into a NAFLD group
(n=366) and simple obesity (SOB) group (n=325) according to the
hepatic ultrasound results. The two groups were matched for gender, age,
pubertal development, and body mass index (BMI). All patients underwent an OGTT
test, and fasting blood samples were collected to measure prolactin. Stepwise
logistic regression was performed to identify significant predictors of NAFLD.
Serum prolactin levels were significantly lower in NAFLD subjects than in the
SOB subjects [82.4 (56.36, 118.70) vs. 99.78 (63.89, 153.82), p<0.001]
(mIU/l). NAFLD was strongly associated with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)
and prolactin, with lower levels of prolactin increasing the risk of NAFLD
(adjusted ORs=1.741; 95% CI: 1.059–2.860) across the
prolactin concentration tertiles after adjustment for confounders. Low serum
prolactin levels are associated with the presence of NAFLD; thus, increased
circulating prolactin might be a compensatory response for obesity in
children. [...] Georg Thieme Verlag Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart,
GermanyArticle in Thieme eJournals: Table of contents | Abstract | open ...
Source: Hormone and Metabolic Research - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Zhang, Jianwei Guan, Jieqiong Tang, Xiaoli Xu, Jinliang Tags: Original Article: Endocrine Care Source Type: research