Relationship between Serum Osteocalcin Levels and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adult Males, South China

AIM To determine serum osteocalcin levels in South Chinese males with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and to examine the relation between serum osteocalcin and NAFLD. METHODS Data were collected from 1683 men attending the Fangchenggang Area Male Healthy and Examination Survey (FAMHES) from September 2009 to December 2009. Serum osteocalcin was measured with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. An abdominal ultrasonographic examination for all individuals was performed by two experienced ultrasonographers. The associations of serum osteocalcin with NAFLD were evaluated. RESULTS The levels of serum osteocalcin were lower in 364 NAFLD participants than in 1319 non-NAFLD participants (24.51 ± 1.38 ng/mL vs. 20.81 ± 1.33 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Serum osteocalin level was associated with the scale of NAFLD (r = -0.150, p < 0.01). Serum osteocalin level tended to decrease with the scale of NAFLD. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that decreased ORs for NAFLD were observed from the first to the fourth osteocalcin quartiles. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a lower serum osteocalcin level is associated with the presence of NAFLD.