Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of serum adipocyte type fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) levels to glucose-lipid metabolism in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). Methods During the period from April 2017 to April 2020, 85 patients with CHC and 85 healthy persons were recruited in this study, and all patients with CHC underwent liver biopsies. The levels of serum A-FABP was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The liver function and glucose-lipid metabolism indexes such as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), fasting blood glucose (FPG),fasting serum insulin (FIN), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triacylglycerol (TG)] were detected by full-automatic biochemical analyzer. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was evaluated by homeostasis model. The viral load of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR. The correlation between serum A-FABP level and viral and glucose-lipid metabolism index in patients with CHC was analyzed. Results Out of 85 patients with CHC, 42 cases were found having NAFLD; serum A-FABP, ALT and AST levels in 43 patients with CHC were (13.1±2.9)μg/L, (74.8±14.8)U/L and (56.6±9.4)U/L, and they were(27.6±4.2)μg/L, (81.7±12.2)U/L and (58.2±8.1)U/L in 42 patients with CHC and NAFLD, all significantly higher than [(3.1±1.1)μg/L, (19.7±1.6)U/L and (27.8±3.5)U/L, respectively, P<0.05] in 85 healthy persons; blood FIN, FPG and HOMA-IR in patients with CHC were (12.1±1.6)mIU/L, (6.0±1.3) mmol/L and (4.1±0.5), and they were (17.5±2.5)mIU/L, (6.2±1.3)mmol/L and (5.2±0.4) in patients with CHC and NAFLD, all significantly higher than [(4.2±0.9)mIU/L,(4.5±0.6)mmol/L and (1.6±0.2), respectively, P<0.05] in healthy persons; blood TC, TG and LDL-C levels in patients with CHC were (3.4±0.2)mmol/L, (1.0±0.2)mmol/L and (2.4±0.8)mmol/L, and they were (4.1±0.3)mmol/L, (1.9±0.2)mmol/L and (2.6±0.6)mmol/L in patients with CHC and NAFLD, all significantly higher than [(2.5±0.3)mmol/L, (0.6±0.1)mmol/L and (1.7±0.2)mmol/L, P<0.05] in healthy persons. Conclusion Serum A-FABP levels increase in patients with CHC and NAFLD, which might be related to the imbalance of glucose-lipid metabolism.

Key words: Hepatitis C, Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, Adipocyte type fatty acid binding protein, Glucose-lipid metabolism