Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39844086›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2025

Potential alternative and novel biomarkers for paediatric MAFLD: exploratory evidence from a Chinese cohort.

Fan Yang, Mengyuan Hu, Lulian Xu, Xiaowei Zheng, Lihong Zhu, Le Zhang, Haoyang Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Fan Yang *Department of Paediatric Laboratory, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Children's Hospital, Wuxi, P. R. China.
Mengyuan Hu *Department of Paediatrics, Jinhua Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Jinhua, P. R. China.
Lulian Xu *Department of Paediatric Laboratory, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Children's Hospital, Wuxi, P. R. China.
Xiaowei ZhengWuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, P. R. China.
Lihong ZhuDepartment of Paediatric Laboratory, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Children's Hospital, Wuxi, P. R. China. lihongzhuwuxi@163.com.
Le ZhangDepartment of Paediatric Laboratory, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Children's Hospital, Wuxi, P. R. China. zhangle@jiangnan.edu.cn.
Haoyang ZhangDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. zhanghaoyang0@hotmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile the associations between pediatric non-obese metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and multiple diagnostic biomarkers are well-established, the role of a broader range of blood-based, urine-based, and body composition-based biomarkers for monitoring MAFLD are needed.

methodsA pediatric cohort was established in Wuxi, China. We measured body composition biomarkers, blood-based and urine-based biomarkers, and liver stiffness in participants to diagnose MAFLD and identify alternative and novel potential biomarkers for MAFLD. Body mass index (BMI), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), triglycerides, glucose, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and waist perimeter were used as MAFLD diagnostic biomarkers. To identify alternative biomarkers, we performed correlation analysis to determine biomarkers exhibited strong correlation (|r| > 0.8, p-value < 0.05) with diagnostic biomarkers. To identify novel potential biomarkers, we performed regression analysis to determine biomarkers associated with MAFLD (p-value < 0.05 in stepwise multivariate regression) among the remaining biomarkers that are not related to the diagnostic biomarkers.

resultsOut of 1,108 participants who completed all examinations (N biomarker = 91), 113 participants were diagnosed with MAFLD (prevalence: 14.99% in boys and 5.18% in girls). 27 biomarkers that were strongly correlated with diagnostic biomarkers were identified as alternative biomarkers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 9 novel potential biomarkers including 5 blood-based biomarkers (plateletocrit, calcium, insulin, AST/ALT ratio, total bilirubin), urine pH, and body fat measurements in the arm, leg, and thigh.

conclusionsThis study illustrated the characteristics and potential alternative and novel biomarkers of MAFLD based on a Chinese paediatric cohort. These findings posed new paths in guiding the prevention and early diagnosis and prevention.

trial registrationThis trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2400080508). The date of first registration, 01/31/2024. Retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseAdolescentBiomarkersBlood GlucoseBlood PressureBody Mass IndexChildChinaCholesterol, HDLCohort StudiesEast Asian PeopleFemaleHumansMaleTriglyceridesBiomarkersBlood GlucoseCholesterol, HDLTriglyceridesBiomarkerLiver steatosisMAFLDPaediatrics

Identifiers

PMID39844086
PMCPMC11752933

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.