Can levels of serum uric acid and HDL cholesterol effectively predict the presence of fatty liver in children with obesity?

Abstract

Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between biochemical parameters such as high uric acid and low HDL levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MDAS) in children with obesity. Methods: The records of 81 obese children with a body mass index above two standard deviations for their age who underwent fasting lipids, liver enzymes, uric acid level, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and abdominal ultrasounds to assess fatty liver were reviewed retrospectively. The findings from physical examinations and results from laboratory and imaging tests were documented. The relationship between laboratory data and MDAS was examined. Results: The study included 81 children, 27 males and 54 females. Fifty-six out of the total participants, accounting for 69.2%, were diagnosed with steatohepatitis. the MDAS and non-MDAS subjects' SUA levels were 6.34±1.36 mg/dl and 5.26±1.09 mg/ dl, respectively. HDL levels were significantly lower in MDAS children than in non-MDAS children (39.90±7.89 vs. 45.23±7.32, p=.005,). Moreover, the MDAS and non-MDAS subjects' SUA levels were 6.34±1.36 mg/dl and 5.26±1.09 mg/dl, respectively. There was a statistical difference between the two groups (p<.001,).To assess the diagnostic performance of each marker and predictive model, we conducted a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. As individual predictors, SUA (AUC=0.729 [95% CI, 0.619–0.822], cut-off >6.89, sensitivity=37.5, specificity=100) and HDL (AUC=0.699 [95% CI, 0.587–0.796], cut-off ≤39.2, sensitivity=51.8, specificity=84) showed similar diagnostic performance in discriminating MDAS from non-MDAS patients. Conclusion: Elevated SUA levels with low HDL levels may significantly predict MDAS.

Keywords

• Uric acid
• HDL
• obesity
• children
• fatty liver

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