Do serum vitamin D levels affect liver enzymes in insulin resistance and obesity patients?

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity and insulin resistance are diseases that are associated with each other where vitamin D deficiency is prevalently seen. It is also considered that vitamin D deficiency is associated with liver diseases. This study was conducted to determine whether or not there is a relationship between the ALT/AST ratio and serum vitamin D levels. METHODS: This study was carried out by retrospectively examining the height and body weight measurement values and serum 25(OH)D, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentration values of 149 insulin resistance and 156 obesity patients at the ages of 18 to 80. The HOMA-IR and HOMA B values of the patients were calculated. Means and standard deviations, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. RESULTS: The mean serum ALT and AST levels of the insulin resistance patients were higher than those of the obesity patients (P=0.034) (P=0.027). There was a positive relationship between the serum vitamin D concentrations and ALT/ AST ratios of the obesity patients (P<0.05). There was a positive relationship between the serum ALT and ALT/AST values and HOMA-IR and HOMA B values of the insulin resistance patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ALT/AST ratio was observed to be compatible with markers of insulin resistance. No significant relationship was found between the serum vitamin D concentrations and liver enzymes of the insulin resistance patients. It is needed to conduct new studies on this topic.