Interleukin-17 and myeloperoxidase levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and effect of disease severity on blood counts and liver enzymes
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Abstract
Objectives: To compare the circulating levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients and healthy controls, and to assess the impact of disease severity on blood counts and liver enzyme levels, exploring their potential as early markers.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Hayatabad Medical Complex and Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan from January to December 2023 after ethical approval. Using purposive sampling, 20 healthy controls and 60 NAFLD patients (20 each with mild, moderate, and severe disease) aged ≥25 were enrolled. NAFLD was diagnosed via ultrasonography. Blood samples were collected for complete blood counts and liver enzyme assays (ALT and AST), while serum IL-17 and MPO levels were measured by ELISA. NAFLD severity was assessed using FIB-4, APRI, and AST/ALT ratios. Data were analyzed with Prism Graphpad using ANOVA with Dunnett’s tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant.
Results: Controls had a mean age of 32.9±7.0 years, versus 59.3±10.1 years in NAFLD patients. Liver enzymes, severity scores, and the AST/ALT ratio increased significantly with NAFLD severity. IL-17 levels rose from 0.064 ng/ml in controls to 0.133, 0.223, and 0.278 ng/ml in mild, moderate, and severe cases (p <0.05 to <0.0001). MPO levels were significantly higher in moderate and severe NAFLD, while platelet counts and hemoglobin decreased.
Conclusion: Elevated IL-17 and MPO levels correlate with NAFLD severity, suggesting their potential as biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of disease progression in high-risk patients. These findings warrant further clinical evaluation.
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