Research Article

Independent Association of Serum Triglycerides with Liver Enzymes Among Apparently Healthy Iraqi Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Hepatic lipid metabolism establishes a strong relationship between blood lipid parameters and liver function indicators. Subtle changes in liver enzymes may indicate early metabolic disorders linked to dyslipidemia and an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, even in apparently healthy individuals. Understanding these associations might help identify those who are at risk before overt liver or metabolic diseases manifest. Aim of the Study: To Check out at the relationship between serum triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations and liver function biomarkers in apparently healthy Iraqi individuals. Methods: A total of 150 adults were initially screened, and 146 participants were included in the final analysis after applying the exclusion criteria in a cross-sectional research. Age, sex, height, and weight were reported as demographic traits. Along with liver function biomarkers like aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin (TB), the serum lipid profile, which includes total cholesterol, triglycerides. Multiple linear regression, Among the statistical techniques employed were descriptive statistics, the independent-samples t-test, and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value of less than 0.05. Results: The final analysis comprised 146 individuals in total. Significant positive associations were seen between serum triglycerides and ALT (ρ = 0.312, p < 0.001), AST (ρ = 0.196, p = 0.018), and ALP (ρ = 0.226, p = 0.006). Triglycerides continued to have an independent relationship with ALT (β = 0.269, p = 0.004) following multivariable robust regression analysis, but total cholesterol did not have an independent relationship with any liver biomarker. Study limitation: There are a number of limitations to this study. Because of its cross-sectional nature, causal inference is not possible, and the results might not apply to other research populations. Furthermore, results were based on a single blood sample from each participant, and lifestyle variables and some metabolic indicators that might affect lipid profile and liver function were not assessed. Conclusion: Among Iraqi adults who seemed to be in good health, serum triglycerides were independently linked to liver enzyme activity, especially ALT. Regular evaluation of blood triglycerides and liver enzymes may help identify metabolic abnormalities early and enhance cardiovascular risk assessment.

Author Affiliation:

Huda Falah Joodi Darwash Al-Saati (ORCID): Department of Clinical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Alkafeel, Najaf, Iraq.

How To Cite: H.F.J. Darwash Al-Saati. Independent Association of Serum Triglycerides with Liver Enzymes Among Apparently Healthy Iraqi Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. Interdisciplinary Studies on Applied Science, 3(2):26–33, 2026. https://doi.org/10.58613/isas324