Investigating the Diagnostic Value of Albumin in Predicting the Improvement of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Background: Considering the importance of the diagnostic value of albumin in predicting the recovery of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this study was conducted with the aim of determining the diagnostic value of serum albumin in the recovery of NAFLD in patients with fatty liver undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: In this prospective study, 112 patients undergoing bariatric surgery were subjected to intraoperative liver biopsy to determine the presence of fatty liver disease. Serum albumin levels and fatty liver status were determined by ultrasound before and 1, 3 and 6 months after the operation. The amount of changes in serum albumin level in two groups with and without fatty liver disease and the diagnostic value criteria of albumin for predicting NAFLD were determined using the liver biopsy results as the reference. Data were analyzed using statistical tests. Findings: Liver biopsy confirmed that 48.2 of the patients had fatty liver. The mean serum albumin level was 4.53 ± 0.77 before the operation and 3.31 ± 0.65 mg/dL six months after the operation and decreased by 25.53 ± 15.5 percent. The percentage decrease in albumin level in patients with fatty liver was 17.67±13 in patients with fatty liver and 33.97 ± 13.6 in the non-affected group (P < 0.001). According to the ROC curve findings, the albumin cut-off point for predicting fatty liver was 3.5 mg/dL, and according to it, the albumin level had a sensitivity of 98.1, a specificity of 37.9, a positive predictive value of 59.6, and a negative predictive value of 95.7. Conclusion: Serum albumin levels in obese patients can be used as a preliminary test to determine the grade of fatty liver and also to determine the recovery status of fatty liver after surgery. © 2025, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.