title: Serum IGF-1, IGF-2 and IGFBP-3 as parameters in the assessment of liver dysfunction in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Insulin like growth factor system becomes impaired in liver cirrhosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with altered synthesis and secretion of several growth factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studying the relation between serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 and clinical grades of liver disease according to Child-Pugh (C-P) score. Also, evaluation of their role in the diagnosis of HCC. IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 were measured in 20 healthy subjects, 60 liver cirrhosis patients and 20 HCC patients included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly lower in cirrhotic patients compared to the healthy subjects and were correlated with the degree of liver dysfunction. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in patients with HCC were significantly lower than in both healthy subjects and in patients with liver cirrhosis. Both IGF-II and AFP levels in HCC were significantly higher than in healthy subjects and in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estimation of serum IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 together with C-P score is more effective in predicting hepatic dysfunction and its severity than C-P score alone. Serum IGF-II level can be used as a serological marker to discriminate HCC from cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. ranianaguid2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rania Naguib Abdel Mouteleb Abdel
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Rehem
authors.forename: Wafaa Mohamed Hussein Mekky
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: El-Shikh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase