Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40243328›Full record

ArticleLiver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver2025

Elevated Cholinesterase Activity and the Metabolic Syndrome-Dissecting Fatty Liver, Insulin Resistance and Dysglycaemia.

Martin Heni, Julia Hummel, Louise Fritsche, Robert Wagner, Lasse Relker, Jürgen Machann, Fritz Schick, Andreas L Birkenfeld, Erwin Schleicher, Alfred Königsrainer and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Associations of Butyrylcholinesterase Activity and Lipid-Related Indices with Obesity in Thai Children.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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

14 authors.

Martin HeniDivision of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8462-3832
Julia HummelDivision of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Louise FritscheInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0644-6161
Robert WagnerGerman Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.
Lasse RelkerDepartment for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Jürgen MachannInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Fritz SchickGerman Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.
Andreas L BirkenfeldInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Erwin SchleicherDepartment for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Alfred KönigsrainerDepartment of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Hans-Ulrich HäringInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Norbert StefanInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Andreas FritscheInstitute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Andreas PeterDepartment for Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine, Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Funding

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsWhile low plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a well-established marker of reduced liver synthesis capacity, the clinical significance of elevated BChE is unclear. In small studies, high BChE has long been suspected in hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome. We aimed to clarify the relation between BChE, liver fat and glucose metabolism in deeply phenotyped cohorts.

methodsPlasma BChE activity was measured in 844 humans (554 women) of the cross-sectional Tübingen Diabetes Family Study, with a wide BMI range (17.7-55.1 kg/m

resultsBChE was positively associated with liver fat, independent of sex, age and BMI. BChE was higher in participants with metabolic syndrome. BChE was positively associated with fasting and 2-h glycaemia, independent of sex, age and BMI. BChE was negatively associated with insulin sensitivity, independent of sex, age, BMI and liver fat. The reduction of liver fat and improvement in insulin sensitivity during lifestyle interventions are associated with the reduction in BChE, independent of body weight loss.

conclusionsHigher plasma BChE activity is linked to liver fat accumulation, as well as impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, independent of liver fat. This suggests that BChE could be a marker for processes in hepatocytes that contribute to impaired glucose metabolism. Further investigations are needed to clarify the mechanistic contribution and potential diagnostic value of elevated BChE in hepatic steatosis and metabolic diseases.

Indexed as

ButyrylcholinesteraseFatty LiverInsulin ResistanceMetabolic SyndromeAdultAgedBiomarkersBlood GlucoseCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGlucose Tolerance TestHumansLiverMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkersBlood GlucoseButyrylcholinesterasecholinesteraseinsulin sensitivityliver fatmetabolic syndrome

Identifiers

PMID40243328
PMCPMC12005068

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Registered trials

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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.