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Diabetes and endocrinology
Original research
Association of liver enzymes levels with fasting plasma glucose levels in Southern China: a cross-sectional study
  1. Ling-Ling Huang1,2,
  2. Dong-Hui Guo3,
  3. Hui-Yan Xu4,
  4. Song-Tao Tang5,
  5. Xiao Xiao Wang1,
  6. Yong-Ping Jin6,
  7. Peixi Wang1,7
  1. 1 School of Nursing and Health, Chronic Disease Risks Assessment, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
  2. 2 School of Nursing and Health, Lida University, Shanghai, China
  3. 3 Community Health Management Center, People’s Hospital of Longhua New District, Shenzhen, China
  4. 4 Community Health Services Center of Liwan, Guangzhou, China
  5. 5 Community Health Services Center of Liaobu, Dongguan, China
  6. 6 School of Nursing and Health, Institute of Laboratory, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
  7. 7 General Practice Center, Nanhai Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China
  1. Correspondence to Yong-Ping Jin; 13937855755{at}163.com

Abstract

Objective According to several studies, liver enzymes levels are associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. However, the association stratified by body mass index (BMI) remains to be elucidated, especially in Southern China. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between liver enzymes levels and FPG levels stratified by BMI in Southern China.

Design Cross-sectional study.

Participants and setting 3056 individuals participated in real-time interviews and blood tests in Southern China. Participants were divided into three groups (underweight, normal weight and overweight or obesity) based on BMI cut-offs.

Main outcome measured Partial correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between FPG levels and liver tests. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to calculate the adjusted ORs for FPG levels based on liver enzymes levels.

Results There was no association between liver enzymes and FPG either in the underweight group or in the normal weight group; however, a significant correlation was observed in the overweight or obesity group (alanine transaminase (ALT), p<0.01; aspartate aminotransferase (AST), p<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, the highest tertiles of ALT still remained significantly positively related to FPG levels in the overweight or obesity group, with an OR of 2.205 (95% CI 1.442 to 3.371) for the 5.56≤FPG<7.00 mmol/L vs the FPG<5.56 mmol/L group and with an OR of 2.297 (95% CI 1.017 to 5.187) for the FPG≥7.00 mmol/L vs the FPG<5.56 mmol/L group, but this correlation was not found for AST.

Conclusions The association of liver enzymes levels with FPG levels differed based on different BMI cut-offs. ALT levels were significantly positively associated with FPG levels in the overweight or obesity group, but not in the other two groups; AST levels were not associated with FPG levels in any group.

  • liver enzymes
  • fasting plasma glucose
  • Southern China
  • cross-sectional study

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025524

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    Footnotes

    • L-LH and D-HG contributed equally.

    • Contributors L-LH, Y-PJ and PW conducted the data analyses. L-LH and D-HG drafted the manuscript. D-HG, H-YX, S-TT and XXW finalised the manuscript with inputs from all authors. All authors contributed to the development of the study framework, interpretation of the results and revisions of successive drafts of the manuscript and approved the version submitted for publication.

    • Funding This study was supported by the Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (C2015032) and the Medical Scientific and Technological Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (C2015019).

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Ethics approval The protocol of this study was approved by the ethics committee of the Community Health Service Agencies of Liaobu town, Dongwan city, Guangdong province. The ethical code is 20130410.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Data availability statement Data are available on reasonable request.