A comparative study of phase angle and its determinants in NAFLD patients and healthy individuals

Phase angle and Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Background: The phase angle (PA) serves as an important indicator of cell membrane health and integrity, with higher values reflecting enhanced cell function. While malnutrition and the prognosis of chronic diseases have been extensively assessed, exploring the relationship between PA and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has the potential to influence future disease management approaches.

Aims: This study aimed to compare PA values across different NAFLD grades and investigate the correlation between anthropometric indices and phase angle measurements.

Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was carried out on 191 people with NAFLD and 180 healthy controls. Anthropometric measurements were taken in the baseline using the Bio-Impedance Analyzer (In Body 770, In Body, South Korea), and hepatic steatosis was examined using FibroScan and ultrasound. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.

Results: There was a significant unadjusted difference in trunk PA and whole-body PA between case and control groups (p< 0.001 and p< 0.05, respectively). After adjustment for confounders, the difference between different grades of fatty liver determined by ultrasound showed a significant difference (p< 0.001). Arm circumference emerged as the most positively correlated index influencing PA in both groups (p< 0.001), while the ratio of extracellular water to total body water exhibited the most negative correlation with PA (p< 0.001).

Conclusions: The study found a substantial difference in PA levels between NAFLD patients and healthy individuals. Further research is needed to determine the potential of PA as a sensitive and specific predictor of NAFLD.