Serum ferritin as a non-invasive marker in the prediction of hepatic fibrosis among Egyptian patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Many studies have found a relationship between hepatic iron, serum ferritin, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or its progress. The aim of this study is to assess the value of serum ferritin as a non-invasive marker in the prediction of hepatic fibrosis in NAFLD.

METHODS

This study included 113 subjects who were classified into three groups. Group I included 30 healthy subjects as control with no clinical, radiological, and histological features of NAFLD. Group II included 31 NAFLD patients without hepatic fibrosis. Group III included 52 patients with hepatic fibrosis on top of NAFLD.

RESULTS

Serum ferritin was determined using ferritin ELISA kit. Fibrosis 4 score was calculated. Liver biopsy was conducted for included patients. Significantly higher levels of serum ferritin were found in patients with hepatic fibrosis on top of NAFLD than controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that an optimum cutoff level of 51.95 ng/mL was the best to predict fibrosis on top of NAFLD with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 65% and 60%, respectively, and area under the curve = 0.658.

CONCLUSION

Higher serum ferritin was found in patients with hepatic fibrosis on top of NAFLD. Serum ferritin was found to be a predictor of fibrosis on top of NAFLD with moderate sensitivity and specificity.