Association of carotid intima media thickness with atherogenic index of plasma, apo B/apo A-I ratio and paraoxonase activity in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Background: NAFLD patients have higher risk of atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). apo B/apoA-I ratio and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) have been suggested as biomarker for ASCVD.

Methods: apo A-I, apoB, aryl esterase (ARE) and paraoxonase (PON) activities and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) were determined in 49 NAFLD patients and 33 controls.

Results: Plasma levels of apo A-I, adiponectin, ARE and PON activities decreased in NAFLD patients, while apo B, AIP and apoB/apo A-I ratio level were higher in NAFLD patients compared to controls. Furthermore, cIMT showed a positive association with AIP, apo B/apo A-I ratio and AIP + (apo B/apo A-I) in NAFLD patients. Strikingly, AIP + (apo B/apo A-I) showed a good ability to discriminating increased cIMT in NAFLD patients.

Conclusions: The result showed that AIP and apo B/apo A-I associated with cIMT in NAFLD patients; however, more study are needed to prove this concept.

Keywords: Apolipoprotein; atherogenic index of plasma; atherosclerosis; fatty liver; paraoxonase.