Prevalence, Clinicopathological Characteristics, Biomarkers and Genetics of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Taiwanese Children

[Study Subjects] Obesity was defined as the BMI value > 95 percentile by different age- and gender groups according to the standards of the Department of Health in Taiwan.

[Data Collection] The following data were obtained for each subject: age, gender, BMI, waist and hip circumference. BMI was calculated as body weight (kg)/ height (m2).

In fasting venous blood samples, we measured total serum bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, fasting glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, glucose, and adiponectin.

[Liver Ultrasonography] All participants underwent an ultrasonographic study of the liver performed by one operator.

NAFLD was defined as the presence of an ultrasonographic pattern consistent with the following criteria: liver-kidney echo discrepancy, attenuated echo penetration and visibility of diaphragm, and obscure hepatic vessel structures.