Human fetuin/alpha2HS-glycoprotein level as a novel indicator of liver cell function and short-term mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Human fetuin/alpha2HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) is synthesized by hepatocytes. We intended to determine whether liver dysfunction or acute phase reaction is dominant in the regulation of its serum concentrations and to see if decreased AHGS levels are associated with short-term mortality.


METHODS
We determined the serum AHSG levels in patients with acute alcoholic, acute A, B, and Epstein-Barr virus hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular cancer and correlated them to conventional laboratory parameters of inflammation and liver function. Patients were followed for 1 month.


METHODS
Serum AHSG was determined by radial immunodiffusion.


RESULTS
Compared to controls, significantly lower AHSG levels were found in patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer but not the acute viral hepatitides. Strong positive correlation with serum transferrin, albumin and prothrombin was found. Febrile episodes were not associated with significantly decreased AHSG levels. Concentrations below 300 microg/ml were associated with high mortality rate (52.0%; relative risk, 5.497; 95% confidence interval, 2.472-12.23; P < 0.0001). Of all laboratory parameters studied serum AHSG levels showed the greatest difference between deceased and survived patients with cirrhosis and cancer. Moreover, other acute phase reactants did not differ significantly. The multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the decrease of serum AHSG is independent of all other variables that were found decreased in deceased patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased serum AHSG concentration is due rather to hepatocellular dysfunction than the acute phase reaction and is an outstanding predictor of short-term mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Kalabay
László
L
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Kútvölgyi út 4, Budapest, Hungary. kalasz@kut.sote.hu
Jakab
Lajos
L
Prohászka
Zoltán
Z
Füst
George
G
Benkö
Zsuzsa
Z
Telegdy
László
L
Lörincz
Zsolt
Z
Závodszky
Péter
P
Arnaud
Philippe
P
Fekete
Béla
B
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001798:Blood Proteins; D015891:Cystatins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
C556354:AHSG protein, human; D001798:Blood Proteins; D015891:Cystatins; D014168:Transferrin; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins