Serum Pentraxin 3 Fragment as a Noninvasive Marker of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Background/Aims: It was suggested that serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels could differentiate obese children with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from those with simple steatosis. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of serum PTX3 fragment levels in the diagnosis of NASH and the assessment of its severity in obese children with suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: Fifty obese children were compared to 25 matched controls. All were subjected to history taking, anthropometric measurements, and abdominal ultrasonography, as well as laboratory assessments of liver functions, fasting lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index, fasting glucose/insulin ratio, and serum PTX3. Results: PTX3 was higher in obese cases than controls (p = 0.0001). Eighty percent of the cases had NAFLD with progressive increases in PTX3 levels as the severity of fatty liver increased (p = 0.0001). Moreover, PTX3 was higher in cases with elevated liver enzymes (3.205 ± 0.77 U/l) than those with normal liver enzymes (2.77 + 0.69 U/l, p < 0.0001). A cutoff value of 3.03 U/l differentiated fatty liver from NASH with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 86%. Conclusion: Noninvasive monitoring of serum PTX3 fragment levels in obese patients with suspected NAFLD may be used as a reliable tool for differentiating NASH from simple fatty liver.

Study of Pentraxin-3 Levels in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Nafld) Among Egyptian Patients

“…Our results were concomitant with previous studies. the study of Boga et al (2015) demonstrated that markedly higher PTX3 levels in NAFLD patients compared with controls, Hamza et al (2016) showed increased PTX3 in patient with NAFLD, and Afifi et al (2018) notified that serum PTX3 level was higher in NAFLD group than control group.…”

Pentraxin 3 and the TyG Index as Two Novel Markers to Diagnose NAFLD in Children

“…In addition, PTX-3 is important for diagnosing liver disease. According to some studies, PTX-3 can be used as an inflammatory marker for the prognosis of patients with hepatic cirrhosis [ 30 ]; serum PTX-3 expression markedly increases in adult NASH patients; thus, PTX-3 can be used as a biomarker for the differential diagnosis of NASH and help evaluate the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with NASH [ 12 , 31 ]. However, other studies have concluded that PTX-3 has no value in the diagnosis of NAFLD or the differential diagnosis of NASH [ 32 ].…”

“…Disease Markers used as a biomarker for the differential diagnosis of NASH and help evaluate the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with NASH [12,31]. However, other studies have concluded that PTX-3 has no value in the diagnosis of NAFLD or the differential diagnosis of NASH [32].…”

Pentraxin 3 Levels in Young Women with and without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in relation to the Nutritional Status and Systemic Inflammation

“…In addition, the positive correlation between plasma PTX3 levels with NAFLD activity score, fibrosis stage, and steatosis grade has been described in adults [ 23 ]. Moreover, it has also been shown that, in adolescents, PTX3 levels increased progressively with the severity of the fatty liver [ 24 ]. It should also be noted that meta-analysis of 17 studies including 2715 women diagnosed with PCOS and NAFLD and 2619 with NAFL revealed that risk of NAFLD development is higher in PCOS, and this risk is independent of obesity (diagnosed based on BMI) and may be a result of hyperandrogenism [ 25 ].…”