When NAFLD male patients were compared to healthy control subjects, fetuin-A and the endothelial dysfunction marker asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) were higher, while the endothelial dysfunction marker adiponectin was lower in the NAFLD group that also displayed increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), an early marker of subclinical atherosclerosis [199]. This evidence concerns the gene ADIPOQ and endothelial dysfunction.