In parallel, NASH patients exhibited increased resistin protein expression detected by SQ-analysis than those in simple steatosis (3.12% ± 0.11% vs. 0.61% ± 0.09% per hpf, P < 0.05) and controls (vs. 0.30% ± 0.09% per hpf, P < 0.05). Here, RETN is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.