IMPACT OF ANTI-HYPERLIPIDEMIC TREATMENT ON LIVER FUNCTIONS AND CK18 AND TGF-Β IN NAFLD

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined by lipid accumulation in liver cells, with steatosis in the absence of alcohol consumption. The disease may develop into fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Aim: Evaluate the effect of anti-hyperlipidemic treatments on liver function disease, on Liver function, and serum Cytokeratin-18 (CK18) and Transforming growth factor-Beta (TGF-β) in patients with NAFLD.

Material and Methods: This research is a case-control study (January–August 2025). It included 180 participants, divided into three groups: group І consist of 60 patients diagnosed with NAFLD who were evaluated before the start of the anti-hyperlipidemic agent. Group ІІ 60 patients diagnosed with NAFLD who received a designated antihyperlipidemic medication for 3 months. and 60 healthy controls, matched for age and sex.

Results: This study showed that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)patients had significantly elevated mean blood CK-18 and TGF-β levels compared with healthy controls before treatment. After three months of antihyperlipidemic treatment, both TGF-β and CK-18 levels were markedly decreased. NAFLD patients had elevated liver enzyme levels, ALT, AST, ALP, TSB, and GGT pre-treatment relative to the control group and showed improvement following therapy. ROC analysis found the highest diagnostic accuracy for the CK-18 (AUC = 0.962, 95% sensitivity, 86.7 %specificity, 93.3% at cutoff (6.0435) and TGF-β revealed strong differentiated performance (AUC = 0.89), sensitivity 83.3 %, specificity90 % at cutoff (358.9)

Conclusion: Patients with NAFLD showed increased fibrotic (TGF-β) and apoptotic (CK-18). Anti-hyperlipidemic medication was associated with improvement in liver enzymes and reduction of fibrosis-related biomarkers. significantly decreased liver enzyme levels.