Liver Adiposity and Metabolic Profile in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

BioMed Research International, 2017 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1364818 · Published: August 30, 2017

Spinal Cord Injury Endocrinology Gastroenterology

Simple Explanation

Metabolic dysfunction is common after spinal cord injury (SCI), leading to problems like lipid disorders and insulin resistance. This is often linked to changes in body composition, such as decreased muscle mass and increased fat. This study used MRI to measure fat in the liver (liver adiposity) of men with SCI. They looked at how this liver fat was related to their metabolic health, including things like blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation. The study found that higher liver fat was linked to poorer metabolic health, even when considering other factors like overall body fat. This suggests that measuring and managing liver fat could be important for preventing metabolic problems after SCI.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

22 men with motor complete SCI

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Fat signal fraction (FSF) in the liver was positively related to triglycerides (TG), non-HDL-C, fasting glucose, and HbA1c, indicating a link between liver fat and poorer lipid and glucose control.
2
FSF was negatively related to insulin sensitivity (𝑆i) and testosterone, suggesting that increased liver fat is associated with insulin resistance and lower testosterone levels.
3
FSF was positively related to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-𝛼) independent of age, level of injury (LOI), and time since injury (TSI), indicating that liver fat is linked to both central obesity and inflammation.

Research Summary

This study investigated the relationship between liver adiposity, measured by MRI, and metabolic profile in men with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The results showed that increased liver fat was associated with dysfunction in metabolic profile, central adiposity, and inflammation, independent of age, time since injury, and level of injury. The study concludes that liver adiposity may be an independent risk factor for metabolic dysfunction after SCI, highlighting the significance of quantifying liver adiposity to attenuate the development of metabolic disorders.

Practical Implications

Clinical Monitoring

Quantifying liver adiposity using non-invasive methods like MRI could be integrated into routine clinical assessments for individuals with SCI to identify those at risk for metabolic disorders.

Targeted Interventions

Interventions aimed at reducing liver fat, such as lifestyle modifications (diet and exercise) or pharmacological treatments, may help improve metabolic health in individuals with SCI.

Personalized Medicine

Understanding the independent contribution of liver adiposity to metabolic dysfunction can help tailor treatment strategies to address specific metabolic risk factors in individuals with SCI.

Study Limitations

1
Exclusion criteria limited the generalizability to the entire SCI population.
2
The study was not powered to investigate liver adiposity, and confounding variables were not fully accounted for during MRI acquisition.
3
The use of MRI is limited to clinical settings and requires significant funding, which may make the findings difficult to replicate in a large cohort.

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