Assessment of prognostic factors and circulating biochemical markers in patients with liver disorders

Bushra Nisar; Aeysha Sultan; Saima Zaheer; Noreen Sajjad; Irum Shahzadi; Syeda Laila Rubab; Muhammad Junaid Irfan

doi:10.53992/njns.v11i1.311

Authors

Bushra Nisar Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore, Sargodha Campus, 40100, Pakistan
Aeysha Sultan Department of Chemistry, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan
Saima Zaheer Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore, Sargodha Campus, 40100, Pakistan
Noreen Sajjad Department of Chemistry, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Irum Shahzadi Department of Chemistry, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Syeda Laila Rubab Institute of chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
Muhammad Junaid Irfan Mohi-ud-Din Islamic Medical College, Mirpur, AJK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53992/njns.v11i1.311

Keywords:

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD),, Oxidative Stress, , Malondialdehyde, Glutathione, Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4),, Inflammation Biomarkers

Abstract

The global burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) necessitates reliable biomarkers for early detection, particularly in high-risk South Asian populations. This cross-sectional study evaluated oxidative stress markers, dietary patterns, and fibrosis indices in 100 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients (50 male, 50 female; age 35–60 years; BMI 25–40 kg/m²) and 50 matched controls from Sargodha, Pakistan. Comprehensive profiling revealed significantly elevated oxidative stress in NAFLD patients, with malondialdehyde (MDA) levels 61.2% higher (214.1 ± 12.3 vs. 132.9 ± 11.2 nmol/gHb, p < 0.001) and glutathione (GSH) 50.5% lower (35.4 ± 2.1 vs. 71.6 ± 1.9 mg/gHb, p < 0.001) than controls. Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) scores correlated strongly with oxidative markers (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) and Western dietary patterns (r = 0.65, p < 0.05). Hypomagnesemia (1.65 ± 0.06 vs. 2.3 ± 0.07 mg/dL, p < 0.04) and elevated TNF-α (p < 0.01) were prominent metabolic disturbances. Dietary analysis identified three patterns, with meat-based diets associated with the highest oxidative stress index (OSI: 37.3 vs. 17.5 in vegetarians, p < 0.01). These findings propose a cost-effective prognostic panel combining oxidative stress markers (MDA, GSH), fibrosis indices (FIB-4), and dietary assessment for NAFLD management in resource-limited settings. However, larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these associations and explore causal mechanisms

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