Associating diet, cell profiling, and biomarker datasets from UK Biobank to understand the trajectory of NAFLD patients

Monaghan, Genevieve (2023). Associating diet, cell profiling, and biomarker datasets from UK Biobank to understand the trajectory of NAFLD patients. University of Birmingham. M.Sc.

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Abstract

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a potentially serious liver disease that affects approximately one-quarter of the global adult population, becoming the leading global cause of chronic liver disease in the past few decades. Despite its growing prevalence, the underlying biological mechanisms are poorly understood with lifestyle factors such as nutrition and physical activity currently playing a key role as main therapeutic strategies.

Objective: To study the associations between nutritional and biological factors in NAFLD participants using UK Biobank.

Methods: In this study, we used participants diagnosed with NAFLD and their biomarker, whole blood count, clinical, and dietary data to find associations with disease course. NAFLD participants were divided into three categories by date of NAFLD diagnosis and matched controls included. Linear, logistic, and ordinal regression were used to assess the associations between datasets. Analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests were used to identify significant (corrected P value < 0.05) differences between cohorts.

Results: 990 associations were identified, of which 13 biomarker to whole blood count feature associations were mutual between the four cohorts. The control cohort and the longest NAFLD suffering participants shared the least associations. Of the 61 features examined, 53 had at least one significant difference between two cohorts.

Conclusions: Certain biomarkers can be used as predictors of whether someone will be diagnosed with NAFLD – triglycerides > 1.7 mmol/L, high density lipoprotein cholesterol < 1.39 mmol/L, gamma glutamyl transferase > 40 U/L, and aspartate aminotransferase > 33 U/L. Increased fibre intake is associated with a decrease in metabolic hallmarks of NAFLD.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Sc.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Sc.

Supervisor(s):