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Nutrition alters hepatocellular damage in NASH and alcoholic liver disease
(Science Letter Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
A study from Japan has reported that nutrition alters hepatocellular damage in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD).
"NASH and ALD are extremely similar in the pathologic findings and pathogenesis. This study aimed to elucidate the difference and similarity between these diseases," wrote H. Kojima and colleagues, Nara Medical University.
"Twenty-six patients with NASH and 26 with ALD including 11 with alcoholic hepatitis underwent clinico-pathologic analysis. The visceral fat area and liver/spleen ratio, an index of the hepatic fat content, were evaluated with computed tomography. The hepatic iron deposit and oxidative stress induced-lipid peroxidation were estimated by Prussian blue staining and 3-nitrotyrosine staining, respectively."
The scientists wrote, "The most prominent difference between NASH and ALD was the nutritional status, although elevation of AST/ALT ratio and gamma-GT is relatively characteristic of ALD. NASH was more frequently associated with diabetes mellitus as compared with ALD. The BMI and serum levels of total cholesterol and cholinesterase were higher in NASH than in ALD."
"Although the degree and distribution of fibrosis and necro-inflammatory reaction were similar in NASH and ALD, steatosis was more severe in NASH than in ALD. The liver/spleen ratio was lower and the visceral fat area was larger in NASH than in ALD, regardless of the coincidence of alcoholic hepatitis."
"Interestingly, the visceral fat area positively correlated with ALT and HOMA-IR in NASH, whereas these correlations were not observed in ALD. The hepatic iron deposit was less in NASH than in ALD, whereas lipid peroxidation in NASH was similar to that in ALD with alcoholic hepatitis and more advanced as compared with that in ALD without alcoholic hepatitis," reported the authors.
"NASH was characterized with over-nutrition and visceral fat type obesity as compared with ALD. The visceral fat accumulation was associated with hepatic inflammation and insulin resistance in NASH, but not in ALD."
The researchers concluded, "The difference in the nutritional status between NASH and ALD is not only reflected in the clinical features but also may closely associate with the mechanisms of hepatocellular damage in these diseases."
Kojima and colleagues published their study in Alcoholism - Clinical and Experimental Research (Difference and similarity between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 2005;29(12 Suppl.):259S-263S).
For additional information, contact H. Kojima, Nara Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine 3, 840 Shijo Cho, Nara 6348522, Japan.
The publisher of the journal Alcoholism - Clinical and Experimental Research can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3261, USA.
Keywords: Nara, Japan, Alcoholic Liver Disease, Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, Hepatitis, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Visceral Fat, Nutritional Status, Hepatocellular Damage.
This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Science Letter via NewsRx.com.
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