Adipokine profiles reflect metabolic dysfunction but not fibrosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis

Table 3 Comparison of clinical and biochemical parameters between primary biliary cholangitis patients with and without metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, mean ± SD/median (interquartile range)

	PBC/no MASLD	PBC/MASLD	P value
Number of patients, n (%)	42 (51.90)	39 (48.90)
Age (years)	63.00 ± 11.70	65.00 ± 8.20	0.4521
BMI	23.50 ± 3.80	30.40 ± 4.00	< 0.0011
Waist circumference (cm)	81.40 ± 9.10	99.10 ± 10.30	< 0.0011
AST (% of ULN)	86.67 (IQR 46.67)	84.93 (IQR 20.00)	0.1463
ALT (% of ULN)	85.65 (IQR 57.50)	73.33 (IQR 40.00)	0.7583
GGT (% of ULN)	136.51 (IQR 236.51)	95.24 (IQR 112.70)	0.0413
ALP (% of ULN)	95.00 (IQR 51.50)	87.50 (IQR 47.00)	0.0773
Bil-T (μmol/L)	12.80 (IQR 6.30)	11.20 (IQR 6.80)	0.3923
Bil-C (μmol/L)	2.62 (IQR 1.24)	2.13 (IQR 2.04)	0.4363
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.20 (IQR 1.00)	5.5 (IQR 1.50)	0.3733
C-peptide (ng/mL)	1.49 (IQR 0.85)	2.44 (IQR 1.47)	0.0803
HOMA-IR	4.42 (IQR 1.95)	5.13 (IQR 2.56)	0.1413
TC (mmol/L)	5.43 ± 1.23	5.17 ± 1.22	0.3271
HDL-C (mmol/L)	1.84 ± 0.43	1.49 ± 0.36	< 0.0011
LDL-C (mmol/L)	3.33 (IQR 1.39)	3.47 (IQR 1.06)	0.8392
Ferritin (mg/L)	52.90 (IQR 56.80)	93.15 (IQR 118.80)	0.0042
TG (mmol/L)	0.97 (IQR 0.45)	1.18 (IQR 0.87)	< 0.0013
Platelets (× 109/L)	242.5 (IQR 90.25)	236 (IQR 109.25)	0.3063
Adiponectin (pg/mL)	2042.08 (IQR 2678.16)	1698.24 (IQR 1998.92)	0.0152
Leptin (ng/mL)	0.62 (IQR 0.83)	1.89 (IQR 2.01)	< 0.0012
CAP (dB/m)	199.00 (IQR 35.00)	278.50 (IQR 55)	< 0.0012
Liver stiffness (TE, kPa)	6.70 (IQR 4.20)	6.55 (IQR 7.70)	0.1762
L/A ratio	0.27 (IQR 0.37)	1.63 (IQR 3.42)	< 0.0012

¹Independent T-test.

²Independent T-test after log-transformed.

³Mann-Whitney U test.

Significant differences were observed in body mass index, waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and leptin/adiponectin ratio. Values are presented as raw (untransformed) data, statistical tests were performed on log-transformed values where indicated. PBC: Primary biliary cholangitis; BMI: Body mass index; MASLD: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ULN: Upper limit of normal; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; Bil-T: Total bilirubin; Bil-C: Conjugated bilirubin; HOMA-IR: Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; TC: Total cholesterol; HDL-C: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides; CAP: Controlled attenuation parameter; TE: Transient elastography; L/A ratio: Leptin-to-adiponectin ratio; IQR: Interquartile range.