A total of 47 obese (mean age: 13.1±2.1 years) and 19 healthy children (mean age: 13.8±0.3 years) were included in the study. The presence of fatty liver was identified by ultrasonography. Cases were divided into three groups as NAFLD (+) and NAFLD (-) obese patients and controls. Liver biochemistries, insulin and serum lipids, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6, adiponectin, and leptin were determined. The L/A ratio was calculated. IR was estimated according to the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
The L/A ratio was significantly higher in NAFLD (+) patients than in the other two groups, and in NAFLD (-) patients than the healthy peers. Moreover, L/A ratio correlated more strongly with weight for height (r: 0.528, p<0.0001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r: 0.499, p<0.0001), triglyceride (r: 0.591, p<0.0001), and HOMA-IR (r: 0.574, p<0.0001) than did either leptin and adiponectin alone.
This study shows that the L/A ratio is a noninvasive predictor of NAFLD in obese children and correlates with weight for height, ALT, triglyceride, and HOMA-IR better than each single adipokine.
Keywords : children, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity.