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. 2003 Oct;143(4):500-5.
doi: 10.1067/S0022-3476(03)00325-1.

Obesity, insulin resistance, and other clinicopathological correlates of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Jeffrey B Schwimmer  1 , Reena Deutsch, Jeffrey B Rauch, Cynthia Behling, Robert Newbury, Joel E Lavine
Affiliations

Obesity, insulin resistance, and other clinicopathological correlates of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Jeffrey B Schwimmer et al. J Pediatr. 2003 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children, including insulin resistance, and to test for correlation with liver pathology.

Study design: A retrospective review of children with biopsy-proven NAFLD at Children's Hospital San Diego from 1999 to 2002. Liver biopsy specimens were independently reviewed by two pathologists.

Results: Children with NAFLD (n=43) were mostly male (70%), Hispanic American (53%) and obese (88%). The criteria for insulin resistance were met by 95% of subjects. Steatosis was predicted by the combination of quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, age, and ethnicity (P<.0001). Portal inflammation was predicted by the combination of ALT and fasting insulin (P=.0009). Perisinusoidal fibrosis was predicted by the combination of AST, fasting insulin, and BMI Z score (P<.0001). Portal fibrosis was predicted by the combination of right upper quadrant pain and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (P=.0028).

Conclusions: We identified significant predictors of liver pathology in children with NAFLD. Children being evaluated for NAFLD should be screened for insulin resistance, which is nearly universal and correlates with liver histology.

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