• Natalia Kopiczko, Anna Bobrus-Chociej, Ewa Harasim-Symbor, Eugeniusz Tarasów, Małgorzata Wojtkowska, Adrian Chabowski, and Dariusz M Lebensztejn.
• Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition and Allergology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland. Electronic address: nwasilewska@interia.pl.
• Nutrition. 2022 Feb 1; 94: 111541.

ObjectivesIt has been suggested that circulating fatty acids (FAs) take part in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children with obesity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the serum FA concentration in this pediatric population.MethodsThe prospective study included 80 children with obesity and suspected liver disease. Patients with viral hepatitis, autoimmune, toxic, and selected metabolic liver diseases were excluded. Criteria for NAFLD diagnosis included liver steatosis in ultrasound as well as elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) serum activity. The total intrahepatic lipid content (TILC) was assessed by magnetic resonance proton spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Fasting serum FA concentrations were measured in all children using gas-liquid chromatography.ResultsNAFLD was diagnosed in 31 children. Total FA concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in all obese children as well as in obese children with NAFLD compared with controls. In children with NAFLD, a significant, positive correlation was found between total FA concentration and cholesterol (R = 0.47, P < 0.01), triacylglycerols (R = 0.78, P < 0.001), and insulin (R = 0.45, P < 0.011). In a group of children with obesity, TILC correlated positively with saturated FA concentration (R = 0.23, P < 0.05).ConclusionData from the present study do support the hypothesis that FAs are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in children with obesity.Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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