Association of systemic inflammatory indices with anthropometric measures, metabolic factors, and liver function in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

The present cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationship between systemic inflammatory indices (SIIs) and anthropometric measures, metabolic, and liver function biomarkers in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study was carried out on 238 NAFLD patients with overweight or obesity, aged 18–55 years. Anthropometric measurements were done and body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were estimated. Metabolic factors including serum glucose, lipid profile, liver function biomarkers, and complete blood cell count were assessed after a 24-h fasting state. SIIs including the ratios of neutrophil to lymphocyte (NLR), monocytes to lymphocyte (MLR), platelet to lymphocyte (PLR), and monocytes to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MHR) were calculated. Results indicate that apart from PLR, all of the SIIs significantly changed by increasing steatosis severity (all p < 0.05). Moreover, changes in NLR showed a significant association with anthropometric indices including waist circumference (p = 0.032), BMI (p = 0.047), and WHtR (p = 0.002), as well as levels of fasting blood sugar (p = 0.045), triglycerides, (p = 0.025) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.006). The findings also indicate the relations between lipid profile and all studied SIIs, notably MHR and MLR. All of the SIIs exhibited associations with some liver function indices as well. MHR was positively correlated with the metabolic risk factors of NAFLD while, oppositely, PLR was considered as a preventive marker of NAFLD.