Brown Fat's hidden role in fatty liver disease under investigation
NCT ID NCT07825467
First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University are studying whether brown fat activity is linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. They analyze stored PET/CT scans and blood samples from 96 people who had clinically indicated scans. The goal is to find blood proteins that differ across groups with high, medium, and low brown fat activity. No new treatments or scans are given.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If researchers find blood proteins that track with brown fat activity, those proteins could become targets for future treatments or tests for fatty liver disease.
- What could go wrong
- This observational study cannot prove cause and effect, and it relies on existing scans and blood samples from a small group at one hospital. The findings may not apply to other populations.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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96 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Adults aged 18 to 80 years who had previously undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT examination for clinical purposes were recruited. Existing PET/CT imaging data were used to assess brown adipose tissue activity, and participants were categorized into high, intermediate, and low BAT activity groups according to BAT SUVmax. Peripheral blood samples and relevant clinical data were collected for analysis. No additional PET/CT examination was performed for research purposes.
- Ages
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who had undergone clinically indicated 18F-FDG PET/CT examination. * Willing and able to provide written informed consent and comply with the study procedures. * No long-term use of medications such as glucocorticoids or lipid-lowering drugs; no smoking or excessive alcohol consumption (alcohol intake \<20 g/day). * High BAT activity group: BAT SUVmax ≥2.0, with clear BAT activation in the cervical, shoulder, or supraclavicular regions on PET/CT. * Intermediate BAT activity group: 1.0 ≤ BAT SUVmax \<2.0. * Low BAT activity group: BAT SUVmax \<1.0 or no detectable BAT distribution on PET/CT. Exclusion Criteria: * Use of medications affecting metabolism within the previous 3 months, such as beta-blockers or thyroid hormones. * Contraindications to PET/CT examination, such as claustrophobia or contrast-agent allergy. * Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University
Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China
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