Fatty acid metabolism profiles and the mediating role of inflammatory markers in hepatic steatosis individuals
10.3760/cma.j.cn115822-20240712-00123
- VernacularTitle:肝脂肪变性人群的脂肪酸代谢特征及炎症标志物的中介效应
- Author:
Wenwen XU
1
;
Chen WANG
1
;
Jiawei LI
1
;
Xuan ZHENG
1
Author Information
1. 海军军医大学第一附属医院临床营养科，上海 200433
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Fatty acid;
Hepatic steatosis;
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey;
Inflammation
- From:
Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2025;33(3):200-209
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the characteristics of fatty acid metabolism in the hepatic steatosis (HS) population and to explore the role of inflammation in the relationship between fatty acid metabolism and HS.Methods:A total of 3 112 subjects from the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database were included in this retrospective study, among whom 1 552 were in the HS group (weighted percentage: 49.87%) and 1 560 in the control group (weighted percentage: 50.13%). The differences in dietary fatty acid and serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels and metabolic characteristics were compared. Logistic and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models were used to evaluate the impacts of various FFA indexes on HS. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine whether inflammation served as a mediator in the relationship between FFA and HS.Results:Dietary fatty acid intake did not differ significantly between the HS and control groups. However, serum FFA metabolism characteristics differed between these two groups, with the concentrations of 28 FFAs in the HS group significantly higher than those in the control group. The risk of HS was correlated negatively with serum unsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ( OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.64–0.75, P<0.001), polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ( OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.99–0.69, P<0.001), and Health Promotion Index ( OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.74–0.82, P<0.001) but positively with thrombosis index ( OR=2.20, 95% CI: 1.89–2.55, P<0.001). The WQS model showed that behenic acid had the greatest contribution weight to increase the risk of HS among the 30 FFAs. After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of HS increased by 167% (95% CI: 2.14–3.34, P<0.001) for each unit increase in the WQS index. Further mediation analysis showed that albumin/globulin ratio, white blood cell count, and neutrophil to platelet ratio significantly mediated the relationship between serum FFA and HS ( P<0.05). Conclusion:People with similar dietary fatty acid structures may present different serum FFA metabolism characteristics. Serum FFA level correlates with the risk of HS, and inflammation plays an important role in mediating the relationship between fatty acid metabolism and HS.
