Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with normal aminotransferase values

Table 3 Features of NASH patients with high and normal aminotransferase levels according to the presence of metabolic syndrome n (%)

	NASH cases (n = 23)		P
	With metabolic syndrome (n = 18)	Without metabolic syndrome (n = 5)
Average age (yr)	52.7 ± 4.34	45.4 ± 3.20	< 0.05
Gender (male/female)	3/15 (16.7/83.3)	4/1 (80.0/20.0)	< 0.05
Hepatomegaly	5 (29.4)	2 (50)	> 0.05
BMI (kg/m2)
Normal weight	-	-
Overweight	-	-
Obese	15 (83.3)	5 (100)	> 0.05
Morbid obese	3 (16.7)	0 (0)	> 0.05
Waist/hip ratio	13/(72.2)	4 (80.0)	> 0.05
Hypertension	10 (55.6)	0 (0)	< 0.05
Low HDL level	13 (72.2)	0 (0)	< 0.05
Hypertriglyceridemia	10 (55.6)	0 (0)	< 0.05
Diabetes	5 (27.8)	1 (20.0)	> 0.05
Impaired glucose tolerance	8 (44.4)	1 (20.0)	> 0.05
Insulin resistance-HOMA-IR	6 (75)	4 (80.0)	> 0.05
AST (IU/L)	38. 06 ± 16.63	53.60 ± 27.04	> 0.05
ALT (IU/L)	57.39 ± 32.127	84.8 ± 49. 37	> 0.05
AST/ALT > 1	3 (16.6)	1 (20.0)	> 0.05
GGT (IU/L)1	29.5 (15-83)	33 (16-119)	> 0.05
ALP (IU/L)	83.44 ± 18.19	98.20 ± 38.78	> 0.05

¹Data expressed as median (minimum-maximum); BMI: Body mass index; HDL: High-density lipoprotein; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; GGT: Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. There were significant differences between NASH cases with or without metabolic syndrome according to average age, gender and the presence of hypertension, low-HDL level and hypertriglyceridemia.