ABSTRACT
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is an abnormal lipid metabolic disorder of the liver characterized by accumulation of a large amount of lipids in the liver， and it is currently the most common liver disease around the world. Mendelian randomization （MR） incorporates genomic data into traditional epidemiological study designs to infer the causal relationship between exposure factors and disease risk. In recent years， MR has been widely used in studies on inference of the etiology of NAFLD. This article systematically summarizes the advances in the application of MR in NAFLD research， so as to provide new ideas for understanding the nature of the disease and scientific interventions.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the diagnostic and prognostic values of the red blood cell distribution width-to-platelet count ratio (RPR) for hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis.Methods:The clinical data of 80 patients with hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis who were diagnosed and treated in Yiwu Central Hospital from June 2020 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were included in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group. They were subdivided into survival ( n = 69) and death ( n = 11) groups according to their prognosis outcomes. Eighty patients with chronic hepatitis B were included in the chronic hepatitis B group. Eighty healthy controls who concurrently underwent physical examination were included in the control group. The diagnostic and prognostic values of RPR, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) for hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis were analyzed. Results:Red blood cell distribution width, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group and chronic hepatitis B group were significantly higher compared with the control group (all P < 0.05). Platelet count in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group and chronic hepatitis B group was significantly lower than that in the control group (both P < 0.05). Red blood cell distribution width in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group was significantly higher than that in the chronic hepatitis B group [(18.25 ± 3.28)% vs. (14.67 ± 2.15)%, t = 8.16, P < 0.05]. Platelet count, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase levels in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group were (78.47 ± 11.43) × 10 9/L, (49.48 ± 6.85) U/L, (45.86 ± 6.28) U/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than (133.36 ± 18.42) × 10 9/L, (128.36 ± 15.40) U/L, (98.67 ± 14.41) U/L in the chronic hepatitis B group ( t = -22.65, -41.86, -30.05, all P < 0.05). PRP, APRI, and FIB-4 in the hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis group were (0.23 ± 0.05), (1.85 ± 0.44), (4.25 ± 0.81) respectively, which were significantly higher than (0.11 ± 0.02), (1.46 ± 0.33), (3.38 ± 0.63) in the chronic hepatitis B group ( t = 19.93, 6.34, 7.58, all P < 0.001). The RPR, APRI, and FIB-4 in the death group were (0.25 ± 0.08), (1.97 ± 0.48), (4.52 ± 1.31), respectively, which were significantly higher than (0.18 ± 0.05), (1.68 ± 0.40), (3.69 ± 1.21) in the survival group ( t = 3.94, 2.17, 2.09, all P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that PRP has an extremely high value in diagnosing hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis and predicting the death of patients with hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis. Conclusion:RPR has an extremely high value in diagnosing hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis and predicting the prognosis of this disease.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the possible mechanism of compound Yinqi Sanhuang Jiedu Decoction （茵芪三黄解毒汤， YSJD） against the progression of hepatic fibrosis （HF）. MethodsThirty-eight C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， silybin group and low-， medium- and high-dose YSJD groups， with eight mice in the model group and six mice each in other groups. Except for the blank group， all mice were injected intraperitoneally with 10% carbon tetrachloride （CCl4） to establish a HF model， twice a week for 8 weeks. The drug intervention started one week after the first modeling； the low-， medium- and high-dose YSJD groups were given 8.325， 16.65 and 33.3 g/（kg·d） of YSJD suspension by gavage， respectively， while the silybin group was given 55 mg/（kg·d） of silybin suspension by gavage， and the blank group and the model group were given 0.2 ml normal saline by gavage， all for 8 weeks. The liver hardness of living mice was observed using a small animal ultrasound detector， and grey-scale ultrasound was recorded. The liver tissue was observed by Sirius scarlet staining， and the proportion of collagen fiber deposition was calculated. Liver function indicators including alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and serum laminin （LN）， hyaluronic acid （HA）， pre-collagen type III （PCIII） and collagen type IV （CIV） were also detected. The protein expression of transforming growth factor β1 （TGF-β1）， Vimentin， E-cadherin， α smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） in liver tissue were detected. ResultsCompared to the blank group， the model group showed increased gray value， collagen deposition，serum ALT， AST， HA， LN and PCIII levels， decreased expression of E-cadherin， and increased expression of N-cadherin，α-SMA，Vimentin and TGF-β1 in liver tissues （P＜0.05）. Compared to the model group， the ultrasonic gray value and the proportion of collagen fiber deposition in liver of silybin group and YSJD medium- and high-dose groups decreased， and the serum ALT， AST， LN， HA and PCⅢ levels decreased. Compared to the model group， the expression of E-cadherin in liver tissues of silybin group and all three YSJD groups increased， while the expressions of N-cadherin， Vimentin， TGF-β1 and α-SMA decreased （P＜0.05）， and among them， most improvements were seen in the medium-dose YSJD group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe effect of YSJD on significantly reducing the extent of HF in mice caused by CCl4 may be related to its ability to regulate liver hardness and inhibit the occurrence of epithelial mesenchymal transition in mice.