INTELECTIN-1 AS A DIAGNOSTIC BIOMARKER FOR NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE

In this study, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the accumulation of fats in the liver cells
of individuals who abstain from alcohol consumption. Here, the objective was to assess the levels of intelectin-1,
alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), insulin, random
blood sugar (RBS), total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein
(HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in the serum of NAFLD patients.
Also, the study investigated the changes in intelectin-1 and other biochemical parameters’ ratios in patients and
compared them to healthy subjects. It was also determined if alterations in intelectin-1 levels can serve as a diagnostic
predictor of NAFLD. 90 volunteers were involved in this study, among them 60 who were patients diagnosed with
NAFLD at Baquba Teaching Hospital, Diyala Province, Iraq, between January 10, 2022, and December 30, 2022. The
other 30 were healthy individuals who were recruited as a control group. It was found that levels of intelectin-1 in
serum were significantly higher in NAFLD patients compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.05). Significant elevations
(p < 0.05) were observed in the mean values of ALT and AST in patients compared to controls. Levels of insulin,
ALP, total protein, Albumin, RBS, and Globulin showed non-significant elevations in patients compared to controls
(p > 0.05). Serum levels of TC, TG, LDL, and VLDL demonstrated substantial and significant elevations (p < 0.05)
in patients compared to controls, while HDL levels were reduced, albeit non-significantly. We found that intelectin-1
levels exhibited the highest sensitivity and area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operating characteristic curve
compared to other biochemical factors. Thus, an increase in intelectin-1 levels that are accompanied by the elevation
of TG, TC, LDL, VLDL, and liver function parameters can serve as a predictor in diagnosing NAFLD patients.