Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 801, Taiwan.
Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
Nutrients. 2023 Mar 31;15(7):1712. doi: 10.3390/nu15071712.
(1) Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major global health concern. The increasing prevalence of NAFLD has been related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, the relationship between short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and NAFLD severity is ambiguous in T2D subjects. This study aimed to explore the association of SCFAs with the severity of NAFLD in T2D patients. (2) Methods: We employed echography to examine the severity of hepatic steatosis. The serum levels of nine SCFAs, namely, formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, methylbutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, and methylvalerate, were measured using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. (3) Results: A total of 259 T2D patients was enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Of these participants, 117 with moderate to severe NAFLD had lower levels of formate, isobutyrate, and methylbutyrate than the 142 without NAFLD or with mild NAFLD. Lower circulating levels of isobutyrate and methylbutyrate were associated with an increased severity of NAFLD. A relationship between NAFLD severity and circulating isobutyrate and methylbutyrate levels was found independently of a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) level of 7.0%. (4) Conclusion: Circulating levels of isobutyrate and methylbutyrate were significantly and negatively correlated with NAFLD severity in the enrolled T2D patients. SCFAs may be related to NAFLD severity in T2D patients.
(1) 背景：非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）是一个全球性的主要健康问题。NAFLD 的患病率不断增加与 2 型糖尿病（T2D）有关。然而，在 T2D 患者中，短链脂肪酸（SCFAs）与 NAFLD 严重程度的关系尚不清楚。本研究旨在探讨 SCFAs 与 T2D 患者 NAFLD 严重程度的关系。
(2) 方法：我们采用超声检查评估肝脂肪变性的严重程度。采用气相色谱质谱法检测血清中 9 种 SCFAs（甲酸、乙酸、丙酸、丁酸、异丁酸、甲基丁酸、戊酸、异戊酸和甲基戊酸）的水平。
(3) 结果：这项横断面研究共纳入 259 例 T2D 患者。其中 117 例中重度 NAFLD 患者的甲酸、异丁酸和甲基丁酸水平低于无 NAFLD 或轻度 NAFLD 的 142 例患者。循环中异丁酸和甲基丁酸水平较低与 NAFLD 严重程度增加相关。NAFLD 严重程度与循环中异丁酸和甲基丁酸水平之间的关系独立于糖化血红蛋白（HbA1C）水平为 7.0%。
(4) 结论：在纳入的 T2D 患者中，循环异丁酸和甲基丁酸水平与 NAFLD 严重程度呈显著负相关。SCFAs 可能与 T2D 患者的 NAFLD 严重程度有关。
