Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with small intestine bacterial overgrowth in obese children.

OBJECTIVE

Introduction: In recent years, NAFLD is considered as the key of the so-called metabolic inflammation, in which the intestinal microbiota plays an important role. The aim: To determine the effect of small intestine bacterial overgrowth on the liver structural and functional parameters in children with obesity and overweight.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: The object of the study was 89 children with obesity/overweight. Depending on the presence of SIBO based on the results of the hydrogen breath test with glucose, the patients were divided into 2 groups: first (I) consisted of 31 children with SIBO, the second (II) included 58 children without SIBO. All the patients under study performed a general blood analysis and a biochemical blood test, immuno-enzyme test method with insulin level determination HOMA index calculation. For diagnostics of the liver steatosis, transient elastography with the CAP (controlled attenuation parameter) function was carried out using FibroScan® 502 touch (Echosens, Paris, France).

RESULTS

Results: According to fibroscan data, the presence of SIBO in obese children can lead to raise of CAP level; liver steatosis was diagnosed in 22 patients (70.9%) of the 1st group and 24 patients (41.4%) of the 2 group (p<0,05). We found significant differences in the the ratio of neutrophils and lymphocytes (NLR) (p <0.05). The average glucose level and HOMA index were significantly higher in SIBO group (p<0,05). The analysis of risk factors of SIBO showed that metabolic syndrome and NAFLD as the risk factors for SIBO development (p<0,05).

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: SIBO has an effect on the structural and functional characteristics of the liver resulting in higher insulin and glucose level, higher NLR level and greater prevalence of NAFLD.