@article{article_1619980, title={The effect of obesity on FibroScan parameters, cytokeratin-18, and fibroblast growth factor-21 levels}, journal={The European Research Journal}, volume={11}, pages={207–216}, year={2025}, DOI={10.18621/eurj.1619980}, author={Keskin, Murat and Koca, Nizameddin}, keywords={Adolescent obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), FibroScan, cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21)}, abstract={<p> <b>Objectives: </b> This study aimed to evaluate the differences in anthropometric, clinical, laboratory, and radiological parameters between obese and non-obese adolescents, focusing on the role of FibroScan parameters, Cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and Fibroblast growth factor (FGF-21) in assessing metabolic and liver health. </p> <p> <b>Methods: </b> Anthropometric data were collected, and blood pressure was measured. Laboratory parameters, including fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, liver enzymes, lipids, CK-18, and FGF-21 levels, were assessed. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were measured using Fibroscan. Pearson’s correlation analyses were performed to identify associations between CK-18/FGF-21 levels and metabolic parameters. </p> <p> <b>Results: </b> A cross-sectional study involved 193 adolescents aged 10-18, including 87 obese and 106 non-obese participants. Obese adolescents had significantly higher fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, AST, ALT, GGT, uric acid, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol, with lower HDL-cholesterol levels (all P<0.001). CK-18 (P=0.05) and FGF-21 levels (P=0.002) were elevated in the obese group. CAP and LSM values were also significantly higher in obese participants (P<0.001). CK-18 and FGF-21 were positively correlated with fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, GGT, and triglycerides, indicating their potential as biomarkers for metabolic dysfunction. LSM correlated significantly with CK-18 (P=0.005) and FGF-21 (P=0.007). </p> <p> <b>Conclusions: </b> Obese adolescents exhibited significant metabolic and liver dysfunction. Elevated CK-18 and FGF-21 levels, along with abnormal FibroScan parameters, highlight the importance of these biomarkers in identifying early liver injury and metabolic abnormalities. These findings suggest that CK-18 and FGF-21 may be valuable non-invasive tools for assessing and managing obesity-related liver disease. </p>}, number={2}, publisher={Prusa Medical Publishing}