Lipids & metabolic liver disease
Sex-specific differences in ectopic fat and metabolic characteristics of paediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors' conclusion
Male-predominant hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance caused by sex-specific ectopic fat accumulation may contribute to higher uric acid levels in boys than in girls with NAFLD.
Study context
- Population
- Children with biopsy-verified non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); mean age 12.9 ± 3.2 years; mean BMI-z 2.49 ± 1.21; liver and pancreatic fat quantified by MRI within 2 days of liver biopsy
- Participants
- 63 children
- Exposure
- Boys vs girls with biopsy-verified NAFLD
- Boysn = 48
- Outcome
- Sex-based differences in ectopic fat and metabolic characteristics
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Liver fat (MRI)
P = 0.014
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Fasting insulin · significantly higher in boys
P = 0.039
FPG · significantly higher in boys
P = 0.013
Serum uric acid · significantly higher in boys
P = 0.009
Median
| Outcome | Boys | Girls | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOMA-IRSignificantly higher in boys | 5.4 | 3.6 | P = 0.025 |
Other characteristics
- No sex differences in age, BMI-z, total body fat %, or proportions of obesity, abdominal obesity, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension or metabolic syndrome
- Liver enzymes and lipid profiles did not differ between the sexes
Original publication
Sex-specific differences in ectopic fat and metabolic characteristics of paediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 20 December 2023. doi:10.
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