Evaluation of Oxidant and Antioxidant Levels in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Aim: Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim is to determine the levels of oxidants, antioxidants and oxidative stress index (OSI) in NAFLD and its relation with disease severity and steatohepatitis.

Materials/Methods: Sixty patients with liver steatosis in ultrasonography (USG) and 20 healthy volunteers were included. NAFLD patients were classified as grade1, grade2 and grade3 based on the increase in echogenicity in USG. Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Lipid Hydro Peroxidase (LPO) levels and Oxidative Stress Index (OSI) were evaluated.

Results: Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic/diastolic blood pressures, TOS levels was significantly higher in the NAFLD group (p<0.05). While the LPO level was higher than the control group, the difference was not significant (p=0.33). TAS and SOD levels were lower with no significance (p=0.91, p=0.49, respectively). OSI was significantly higher in NAFLD (p<0.05). Although TOS/LPO levels increased and TAS/SOD decreased with the increasing severity of fatty liver, no significant differences were between the two groups (p > 0.05). Higher TOS and LPO levels and OSI levels were correlated with high levels of ALT

Conclusion: OS increases in patients with NAFLD. The oxidation of proteins and lipids created under OS can have an important role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, and treatment options that reduce OS, ie reduce TOS levels or increase TAS levels, may be considered as a therapeutic option.

Keywords: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); Total Oxidant Status (TOS); Total Antioxidant Status (TAS); Superoxide Dismutase (SOD); Lipid Hydro Peroxidase (LPO); Oxidative Stress Index (OSI).