Investigation of the Relationship Between Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Angiopoietin-Like Factor 3 Levels in Non-Alcoholic Liver Disease

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common condition characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver and is closely associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), an indicator of inflammation in NAFLD, and circulating levels of angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3). Methods The study included 88 patients diagnosed with NAFLD and 88 age- and sex-matched healthy controls who visited the internal medicine clinic between August and November 2022. Data on patient characteristics, laboratory values, and associated diseases were taken from the hospital database. Serum ANGPTL3 levels were measured using venous blood samples, and results with p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Serum ANGPTL3 levels and CIMT were significantly higher in the NAFLD patient group compared to controls. ROC analysis showed that a hepatic steatosis index > 33.18 predicted NAFLD with 97.8% sensitivity and 83.33% specificity; ANGPTL3 levels > 242 predicted NAFLD with 51.11% sensitivity and 83.33% specificity; and CIMT > 6 mm predicted NAFLD with 83.33% sensitivity and 91.11% specificity. Conclusion Our study demonstrated increased serum ANGPTL3 levels in patients with NAFLD. Dyslipidemia observed in NAFLD may be mediated through this hepatokine, suggesting that ANGPTL3 could serve as a non-invasive biomarker for NAFLD diagnosis. Furthermore, serum ANGPTL3 may have potential as a biomarker for liver fibrosis assessment in future studies.