Assessment of the Diagnostic Potential of Lecithin-Cholesterol Acyltransferase in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Sara Mazin Muhammed Ali; Ali Abdulhussain Kasim; Mohammed H. Al-Rikabi

doi:10.32947/ajps.v26i2.1357

Authors

Sara Mazin Muhammed Ali Department of Need Estimation, Technical Affairs Department, Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq
Ali Abdulhussain Kasim Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Mohammed H. Al-Rikabi Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32947/ajps.v26i2.1357

Keywords:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Hepatic fibrosis, Hepatic steatosis, LCAT, Lipid metabolism

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent metabolic liver disorder characterized by fat accumulation in hepatocytes. Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is a liver-derived enzyme involved in lipid metabolism and may serve as a biomarker of hepatic metabolic function. The current study aimed to assess serum LCAT level in NAFLD patients in comparison with matched controls and to estimate its diagnostic potentials for NAFLD and its predictive potentials in relation to steatosis and fibrosis severity.

A case-control study was conducted on 90 individuals, 45 NAFLD patients and 45 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched controls. LCAT level were measured using ELISA. Clinical data, including lipid profile, liver enzymes were recorded. Fibrosis risk was assessed using FIB-4 index, and transabdominal ultrasound was used for steatosis grading. NAFLD patients had significantly lower level of LCAT than control group participants (p < 0.001). However, serum LCAT level was not significantly associated with the severity of steatosis or fibrosis risk in NAFLD patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that LCAT has an excellent diagnostic potential, with an AUC of 0.951, sensitivity of 0.978 and specificity of 0.911 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, LCAT may serve as promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD.

Author Biographies

Ali Abdulhussain Kasim, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Mohammed H. Al-Rikabi, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq.

Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq.

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