Serum Zinc level and liver pathological grading correlation in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, in a university hospital in Tehran

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis and liver cirrhosis. The oxidative stress enzymes are the diagnostic markers to prediction of histologic status of liver in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis disease. The aim of the study was to assessment of relationship between serum Zinc (Zn) levels with pathologic manifestation in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
This cohort study was done in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis that had been visited in gastrointestinal clinic of Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran from April, 2014 to April, 2015. Control group included the patients with no clinical manifestation of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and normal liver ultrasonography, lab test and liver biopsy. Serum Zn level was measured with atomic absorption spectroscopy. Normal Serum level of Zn was considered 10.7-22.9 µmol/L (70-150 µg/dL) and less than 7 µg/dL was considered as Zn deficiency. Pathological findings were grading according to NAFLD activity score.
One hundred twenty patients were selected for the study in two equal groups. Six and 26 patients were excluded in case and control groups, respectively due to no consent to lab test. Finally, 54 patients (35 male/19 female) and 34 patients (22 male/12 female) in control group were participated in data analysis. The mean age on case and control group was 37.02±9.82 year and 33.24±12.01 year, respectively (P= 0.111). Zn level in case and control groups were 90.82±13.69 and 88.82±13.10, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between two group in serum Zn level (P= 0.50). Also, there were no statistically significant differences between pathological grading in case group participants (steatosis: P= 0.640; Lobular inflammation: P= 0.882; fibrosis: P= 0.531).
The finding of the study showed no significant association between serum zinc level and hepatic steatosis, lobular inflammation and fibrosis of the liver in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.