Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clues for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in obese children/ adolescents. Methods 117 obese children and adolescents, including 78 males and 39 females with the average age of (10.0±2.4) year old, were enrolled in our hospital between July 2015 and January 2021. Serum interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels were detected by ELISA, and thehomeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were obtained by fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting insulin (FINS) calculation. The liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were detected by FibroScan 502. Results 27 cases of NASH and 90 simple fatty liver (SFL) were diagnosed in our 117 obese children/ adolescents; serum FINS, HOMA-IR, ALT, AST, LSM and CAP in patients with NASH were(20.2±3.2)pmol/L, (5.2±0.4), (70.8±12.8)U/L, (57.3±12.0)U/L, (9.2±2.7)kPa and (255.6±33.7)dB/m, all significantly higher than [(17.8±3.0)pmol/L, (4.0±0.3), (33.8±7.5)U/L, (25.2±8.0)U/L, (7.8±2.4)kPa and (290.8±28.1)dB/m, respectively,P<0.05] in children and adolescents with SFL; serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels in patients with NASH were (4.0±0.8)pg/ml and (3.2±0.5)pg/ml, both significantly higher than [(3.3±0.6)pg/ml and (2.4±0.4)pg/ml, respectively, P<0.05] in those with SFL, while there were no significant differences as respect to serum IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α and INF-γ levels between the twogroups (P>0.05); the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the HOMA-IR, serum IL-10 and liver CAP were the independent clues for NASH existence (P<0.05). Conclusion The prevalence of NASH in Children and adolescents with obesityis a severe public health problem, and some clinical clues might hints the disease existence. The clinicians, including paediatricians, should give them appropriate advice and managements.

Key words: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, Obesity, IL-10, Controlled attenuation parameter, Diagnosis, Children/adolescents