Plasma apelin levels in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), one of the most common forms of chronic liver disease, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Recent studies suggest that apelin, a newly described adipokine, is associated with hyperinsulinemia and inflammation. The aim of the study was to investigate plasma apelin concentrations in biopsy-proven NAFLD patients who had no metabolic confounders and also to search for the association of apelin with adiponectin, body mass index (BMI), and insulin sensitivity. Fifty male patients with NAFLD and 30 healthy male controls were enrolled. Apelin was measured along with BMI, lipids, glucose, insulin, adiponectin, and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of insulin resistance indexes. Plasma apelin levels were significantly higher and adiponectin levels were lower in NAFLD patients when compared with the controls (P < .001 and P = .013, respectively). In multivariate analysis adjusted for BMI and HOMA indexes, the differences in apelin and adiponectin disappeared in the 2 groups (P = .3 and P = .1, respectively). In addition, apelin levels were positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.29, P = .05) and HOMA indexes (r = 0.4, P = .008) in subjects with NAFLD. The results of this preliminary study suggest that plasma apelin levels are not altered in nondiabetic and normotensive male subjects with NAFLD.