Author information
1Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
2Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
3Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
4Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Abstract
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise among youth. Identifying biomarkers of NAFLD progression/risk can aid in prevention efforts.
Aims: This pilot study investigated associations of two endotoxin biomarkers-lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and anti-endotoxin core immunoglobulin G (EndoCab)-with markers of NAFLD among 99 Latino/Latina adolescents (11-19 years) with obesity.
Materials & methods: We used linear regression to examine associations of each endotoxin biomarker (per 1-SD) with hepatic fat fraction (HFF), liver volume, and liver stiffness.
Results: We found positive associations of LBP with HFF and liver volume. Each 1-SD increment in LBP corresponded with 2.35% (95% CI: 0.46%, 4.23%) higher HFF and 0.14 (0.06, 0.23) L greater liver volume after adjusting for age, sex, and maternal education. Accounting for abdominal adiposity and Tanner stage did not change results. Excluding 72 participants with NAFLD attenuated associations of LBP with HFF but associations with liver volume persisted (0.11 [0.01, 0.21] L). EndoCab was not associated with any liver outcomes. Neither endotoxin biomarker predicted liver stiffness.
Discussion/conclusion: While additional research is warranted, our results support LBP as a biomarker of NAFLD risk/progression in high-risk youth.