Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 7 Issue: 2

Can levels of serum uric acid and HDL cholesterol effectively predict the presence of fatty liver in children with obesity?

Ahmet Fatih Yılmaz(SELCUK UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE)0000-0002-1085-8882
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-03-21
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Conclusion: Elevated SUA levels with low HDL levels may significantly predict MDAS.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between biochemical parameters such as high uric acid and low HDL levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MDAS) in children with obesity.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Methods: The records of 81 obese children with a body mass index above two standard deviations for their age who underwent fasting lipids, liver enzymes, uric acid level, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and abdominal ultrasounds to assess fatty liver were reviewed retrospectively.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Conclusion: Elevated SUA levels with low HDL levels may significantly predict MDAS.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Uric acid · HDL · obesity

Abstract

Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between biochemical parameters such as high uric acid and low HDL levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MDAS) in children with obesity. Methods: The records of 81 obese children with a body mass index above two standard deviations for their age who underwent fasting lipids, liver enzymes, uric acid level, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and abdominal ultrasounds to assess fatty liver were reviewed retrospectively. The findings from physical examinations and results from laboratory and imaging tests were documented. The relationship between laboratory data and MDAS was examined. Results: The study included 81 children, 27 males and 54 females. Fifty-six out of the total participants, accounting for 69.2%, were diagnosed with steatohepatitis. the MDAS and non-MDAS subjects' SUA levels were 6.34±1.36 mg/dl and 5.26±1.09 mg/ dl, respectively. HDL levels were significantly lower in MDAS children than in non-MDAS children (39.90±7.89 vs. 45.23±7.32, p=.005,). Moreover, the MDAS and non-MDAS subjects' SUA levels were 6.34±1.36 mg/dl and 5.26±1.09 mg/dl, respectively. There was a statistical difference between the two groups (p 6.89, sensitivity=37.5, specificity=100) and HDL (AUC=0.699 [95% CI, 0.587–0.796], cut-off ≤39.2, sensitivity=51.8, specificity=84) showed similar diagnostic performance in discriminating MDAS from non-MDAS patients. Conclusion: Elevated SUA levels with low HDL levels may significantly predict MDAS.

🔖

Cite This Article

Çömlek, F. Ö., Yılmaz, A. F. (2025). Can levels of serum uric acid and HDL cholesterol effectively predict the presence of fatty liver in children with obesity?. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 7 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1621956

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (25)

  1. Wu WC, Lai YW, Chou YC, et al. Serum uric acid level as a harbinger of type 2 diabetes: a prospective observation. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(7):2277. doi:10.3390/ijerph17072277
  2. Thomazini F, de Carvalho BS, de Araujo PX, Franco MDC. High uric acid levels in overweight and obese children and their relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors: what is missing in this puzzle? J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2021;34(11):1435-1441. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2021-0211
  3. Han T, Lan L, Qu R, et al. Temporal relationship between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance and its impact on future risk of hypertension. Hypertension. 2017;70(4):703e11. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA. 117.09508
  4. Wei F, Li J, Chen C, et al. Higher serum uric acid level predicts non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a 4-year prospective cohort study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:179. doi:10.3389/fendo.2020.00179
  5. Sirota JC, McFann K, Targher G, et al. Elevated serum uric acid levels are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease independently of metabolic syndrome features in the United States: liver ultrasound data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Metabolism. 2013;62(3):392-399. doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2012.08.013
  6. Cardoso AS, Gonzaga NC, Medeiros CC, et al. Association of uric acid levels with components of metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in overweight or obese children and adolescents. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2013;89(4):412-418. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2012.12.008
  7. Marshall WA, Tanner JM. Variations in pattern of pubertal changes in girls. Arch Dis Child. 1969;44(235):291-303. doi:10.1136/adc.44.235.291
  8. Marzuillo P, Del Giudice EM, Santoro N. Pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: new insights and future directions. World J Hepatol. 2014; 6(4):217-225. doi:10.4254/wjh.v6.i4.217
  9. Vajro P, Lenta S, Socha P, Dhawan A, McKiernan P, Baumann U. Diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents: position paper of the ESPGHAN hepatology committee. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012;54(5):700-713. doi:10. 1097/MPG.0b013e318252a13f
  10. Anderson EL, Howe LD, Jones HE, Higgins JP, Lawlor DA, Fraser A. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015; 10(10):e0140908. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140908
  11. Barrera F, George J. The role of diet and nutritional intervention in managing patients with NAFLD. Clin Liver Dis. 2014;18(1):91-112. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2013.09.009
  12. Rupasinghe K, Hind J, Hegarty R. Updates in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2023;77(5):583-591. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000003919
  13. Jensen T, Abdelmalek MF, Sullivan S, et al. Fructose and sugar: a central mediator of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Hepatol. 2018;68(5):1063-1075. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2018.01.019
  14. Muriel P, López-Sánchez P, Ramos-Tovar E. Fructose and the liver. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(13):6969. doi:10.3390/ijms22136969
  15. Darmawan G, Hamijoyo L, Hasan I. Association between serum uric acid and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis. Acta Med Indones. 2017;49(2):136-147.
  16. Wu SJ, Zhu GQ, Ye BZ, et al. Association between sex-specific serum uric acid and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese adults: a large population-based study. Medicine. 2015;94(17):e802. doi:10.1097/MD. 0000000000000802
  17. Fan N, Zhang L, Xia Z, Peng L, Wang Y, Peng Y. Sex-specific associationbetween serumuric acid and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetic patients. J Diabetes Res. 2016;2016:3805372. doi:10.1155/2016/3805372
  18. Ben-Aicha S, Badimon L, Vilahur G. Advances in HDL: much more than lipid transporters. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(3):732. doi:10.3390/ijms 21030732
  19. Corey KE, Misdraji J, Gelrud L, Zheng H, Chung RT, Krauss RM. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with an atherogenic lipoprotein subfraction profile. Lipids Health Dis. 2014;13(1):100. doi:10. 1186/1476-511X-13-100
  20. Xie J, Huang H, Liu Z, et al. The associations between modifiable risk factors and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a comprehensive Mendelian randomization study. Hepatology. 2023;77(3):949-964. doi:10.1002/hep. 32728
  21. de Alwis NM, Day CP. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the mist gradually clears. J Hepatol. 2008;48(Suppl 1):S104–112. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2008.01.009
  22. Vuppalanchi R, Chalasani N. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: selected practical issues in their evaluation and management. Hepatology. 2009;49(1):306-317. doi:10.1002/hep. 22603
  23. Hamaguchi M, Kojima T, Itoh Y, et al. The severity of ultrasonographic findings in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease reflects the metabolic syndrome and visceral fat accumulation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007; 102(12):2708-2715. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2007.01526.x
  24. Ballestri S, Lonardo A, Romagnoli D, et al. The ultrasonographic fatty liver indicator is a novel score that rules out NASH and correlates with metabolic parameters in NAFLD. Liver Int. 2012;32(8):1242-1252. doi: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2012.02804.x
  25. Dasarathy S, Dasarathy J, Khiyami A, et al. Validity of real-time ultrasound in diagnosing hepatic steatosis: a prospective study. J Hepatol. 2009;51(6):1061-1067. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2009.09.001