TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of elevated liver enzymes and their association with type 2 diabetes risk factors in children
AU - Lin, Victor
AU - Hamby, Tyler
AU - Das, Siddharth
AU - Chatrath, Amritpaul
AU - Basha, Riyaz
AU - Fulda, Kimberly G.
AU - Habiba, Nusrath
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 De Gruyter. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - Objectives: Given their established role in hepatic function and insulin resistance for adults, early screening of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the pediatric population may potentially be improved by the assessment of elevated liver enzymes. Methods: Our study enrolled 151 nondiabetic children aged 10–14 years. Patients were assessed for demographics and five risk factors for T2DM. The levels of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were determined in serum samples. The effects of demographics and risk factors on abnormal liver enzyme levels were assessed with univariate chi-square analyses and also with multivariate logistic regression analyses, which were controlled for gender. Results: Frequencies for abnormal liver enzyme values were as follows: 13 (9%) for GGT, 5 (3%) for ALT, and 20 (13%) for ALP. Across analyses, two results were consistently statistically significant. Females were more likely to have abnormal ALP levels, and patients with BMI percentile ≥95% and with acanthosis nigricans were more likely to have abnormal GGT levels. Conclusions: Our study suggests GGT as potential marker for T2DM discovery in children. Subsequent long-term longitudinal studies would help to more clearly delineate GGT’s association with T2DM. Additionally, future studies that elucidate the molecular contribution of GGT elevation to T2DM pathogenesis are needed.
AB - Objectives: Given their established role in hepatic function and insulin resistance for adults, early screening of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the pediatric population may potentially be improved by the assessment of elevated liver enzymes. Methods: Our study enrolled 151 nondiabetic children aged 10–14 years. Patients were assessed for demographics and five risk factors for T2DM. The levels of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were determined in serum samples. The effects of demographics and risk factors on abnormal liver enzyme levels were assessed with univariate chi-square analyses and also with multivariate logistic regression analyses, which were controlled for gender. Results: Frequencies for abnormal liver enzyme values were as follows: 13 (9%) for GGT, 5 (3%) for ALT, and 20 (13%) for ALP. Across analyses, two results were consistently statistically significant. Females were more likely to have abnormal ALP levels, and patients with BMI percentile ≥95% and with acanthosis nigricans were more likely to have abnormal GGT levels. Conclusions: Our study suggests GGT as potential marker for T2DM discovery in children. Subsequent long-term longitudinal studies would help to more clearly delineate GGT’s association with T2DM. Additionally, future studies that elucidate the molecular contribution of GGT elevation to T2DM pathogenesis are needed.
KW - Liver enzymes
KW - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
KW - Pediatrics
KW - Type 2 diabetes mellitus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104432748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/jpem-2020-0512
DO - 10.1515/jpem-2020-0512
M3 - Article
C2 - 33819416
AN - SCOPUS:85104432748
SN - 0334-018X
VL - 34
SP - 707
EP - 711
JO - Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 6
ER -