RESUMO
ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation of serum angiopoietin-1 （Ang-1）， angiopoietin-2 （Ang-2）， and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio with HBA DNA and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） in patients with chronic hepatitis B （CHB） or liver cirrhosis. MethodsClinical data and serum specimens were collected from 99 patients with CHB and 59 patients with liver cirrhosis who were admitted to Beijing YouAn Hospital， Capital Medical University， from March 2018 to October 2019， and 46 individuals who underwent physical examination were enrolled as control group. PCR was used to measure serum HBV DNA level， and ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2. The serum levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio were compared between groups. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups， and the Bonferroni method was used for further comparison between two groups； the Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of Ang-1， Ang-2， and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio with HBV DNA and ALT. ResultsCompared with the control group， the CHB group and the liver cirrhosis group had a significant reduction in the level of Ang-1 （479.0 pg/mL and 208.4 pg/mL vs 671.0 pg/mL， both P<0.05）， and compared with the CHB group， the liver cirrhosis group had a significant reduction in the level of Ang-1 （P<0.001）. Compared with the control group， the CHB group and the liver cirrhosis group had a significant increase in the level of Ang-2 （286.1 pg/mL and 438.4 pg/mL vs 198.0 pg/mL， both P<0.001）， and compared with the CHB group， the liver cirrhosis group had a significant increase in the level of Ang-2 （P<0.001）. Compared with the control group， the CHB group and the liver cirrhosis group had a significant reduction in Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio （1.6 and 0.5 vs 3.4， both P<0.001）， and compared with the CHB group， the liver cirrhosis group had a significant reduction in Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio （P<0.001）. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that in the CHB group， Ang-1 was negatively correlated with HBV DNA and ALT （r=-0.400 and -0.394， both P˂0.001）， Ang-2 was positively correlated with HBV DNA and ALT （r=0.365 and 0.351， both P<0.001）， and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio was negatively correlated with HBV DNA and ALT （r=-0.463 and -0.473， both P<0.001）； in the liver cirrhosis group， Ang-1， Ang-2， and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio had no correlation with HBV DNA or ALT （all P>0.05）. ConclusionThere are significant changes in the serum levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio in patients with CHB or liver cirrhosis， and Ang-1， Ang-2， and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio reflects the degree of liver injury in patients with CHB to a certain extent.
RESUMO
Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphism of the microsomal triglyceride transport protein (MTTP) gene at rs1800591 locus and the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the elderly population. Methods The clinical cohort of this study was established in Menkuang Hospital, Beijing Jingmei Group General Hospital. A total of 1098 healthy elderly volunteers were recruited for physical examination in communities in Mentougou District of Beijing, China, from January 11, 2020 to September 30, 2021, among whom there were 614 patients with NAFLD and 484 individuals without NAFLD. Gene microarray was used to determine the genotypes of MTTP rs1800591; demographic data were collected, and blood biochemical parameters were measured. The independent samples t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The chi-square test was used to investigate whether the distribution of genotype frequency was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The unconditional logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratio ( OR ) and its 95% confidence interval ( CI ) to investigate the association of gene polymorphism with the risk of NAFLD and other comorbidities. Results There were significant differences in sex and age between the two groups ( P < 0.05). Compared with the non-NAFLD group, the NAFLD group had significantly higher levels of body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and liver stiffness measurement and a significantly lower level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (all P < 0.05). Compared with the non-NAFLD group, the NAFLD group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome (all P < 0.05). The distribution of genotype frequency at MTTP rs1800591 locus was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the control group ( χ 2 =1.097, P =0.29). There were a significant differences in the genotype and the distribution of alleles at MTTP rs1800591 locus between the patients with NAFLD and the control group (all P < 0.001). In the total population, there was a significantly lower carrying rate of T allele (GT+TT, n =351) in male individuals, and the individuals carrying T allele had significantly higher BMI and CAP than those carrying GG allele ( n =747) ( P < 0.001). Compared with the individuals who did not carry T allele, the individuals carrying T allele (GT+TT, n =232) had a significantly higher proportion of patients with obesity and a significantly lower NFS score ( P < 0.05). As for the individuals with NAFLD, the individuals carrying T allele had a significantly lower proportion of male individuals, a significantly lower waist-hip ratio, and a significantly higher level of HDL compared with those who did not carry T allele (GG, n =382), and the GT+TT group had a significantly lower NFS score than the GG group (all P < 0.05). The non-conditional logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for the confounding factors of sex, age, and BMI, the GT+TT genotype at MTTP rs1800591 locus significantly increased the risk of NAFLD ( OR =1.643, 95% CI : 1.226-2.203, P =0.001), and carrying T allele also increased the risk of obesity in the total population ( OR =1.371, 95% CI : 1.051-1.788, P =0.02). Conclusion MTTP rs1800591 polymorphism is associated with the development of NAFLD in the elderly population, and carrying T allele may promote hepatic steatosis and increase the risk of obesity in NAFLD, while it may inhibit the progression of liver fibrosis.
RESUMO
Pre-hepatic (sinusoidal) non-cirrhotic portal hypertension is a group of vascular heterogeneous diseases with portal hypertension as the prominent manifestation and has a complex etiology. Compared with the patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension, the patients with pre-hepatic (sinusoidal) non-cirrhotic portal hypertension have normal liver functions, normal or a mild increase in hepatic venous pressure gradient, and better prognosis. Pre-hepatic (sinusoidal) non-cirrhotic portal hypertension may easily be misdiagnosed as unexplained cirrhotic portal hypertension, and liver pathology is the gold standard for diagnosis. Non-selective β-receptor blockers and endoscopy are major therapies for this disease, but there is a lack of high-quality clinical evidence from large-scale prospective multicenter studies.