EVALUATION OF SERUM MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES AS A MARKER OF NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.

OBJECTIVE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in developed countries. NAFLD may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Emerging evidence suggests that NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome (METS). NAFLD is closely linked to METS with a significant increase in cardiovascular risk. Several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) play important roles in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and liver fibrosis. They may also be useful biomarkers of atherosclerotic risk. In this study we investigated the usefulness of serum metalloproteinases as markers of NAFLD. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 46 patients with NAFLD and 26 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. Liver biopsies were performed in all patients with NAFLD and histopathological evaluations were made by an experienced pathologist according to the classification suggested by Brunt et al. MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels were studied in serum samples in all groups. RESULTS: were compared between both groups. The statistical analysis were performed with SPSSv15 package software. RESULTS: TIMP-1 levels(173,09±138,76 and 169,56±125,26 respectively, p=0,656), MMP-9 levels (1,99±0,89 and 1,95±0,76 respectively, p=0,602) and TIMP- 1/MMP-9 ratio (157,62±222,27 and 119,49±130 respectively, p=0,865) were not statistically different between NAFLD and control group. However, in patients with fibrosis subgroup,TIMP-1 and TIMP-1/MMP-9 ratio were statistically significantly different from control group(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In this study MMP-9,TIMP-1 and TIMP- 1/MMP-9 ratio were not statistically different between NAFLD and control group(p >0,05).Our findings are not sufficient to suggest that MMP-9,TIMP-1 and TIMP-1/ MMP-9 ratio may be used as biochemical markers and screening tests in NAFLD patients. However TIMP-1 and TIMP-1/MMP-9 ratio may be screening tests for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]