title: IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum levels in patients hospitalized for complications of liver cirrhosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  IGF-I and IGFBP-3 are part of IGF system and, due to their predominantly hepatic synthesis, they seem to correlate with hepatic dysfunction intensity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the significance of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in patients with decompensated liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study that included cirrhotic patients admitted to hospital due to complications of the disease, in whom IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum levels were measured by chemiluminescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-four subjects with a mean age of 53.1 ± 11.6 years were included in the study, 73% were males. IGF-I levels were positively correlated with IGFBP-3 and albumin, and negatively correlated with Child-Pugh, MELD, creatinine, INR and aPTT ratio. IGFBP-3 levels were positively correlated with IGF-I and albumin, and negatively correlated with Child-Pugh, MELD, creatinine, INR, total bilirubin and aPTT ratio. Significantly lower scores of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were observed in patients with higher MELD values and higher Child-Pugh classes (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cirrhotic patients admitted to hospital due to complications of the disease, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum levels were associated with variables related to liver dysfunction and to more advanced liver disease. The levels of these markers seem to undergo little influence from other clinical and laboratory variables, therefore mainly reflecting hepatic functional status.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Fernando
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ronsoni
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lazzarotto
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fayad
authors.forename: Mariana Costa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Christiane Lourenço
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Maria Luiza
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bazzo
authors.forename: Janaína Luz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Narciso-Schiavon
authors.forename: Esther Buzaglo
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Dantas-Corrêa
authors.forename: Leonardon de Lucca
authors.initials: Lde L
authors.lastname: Schiavon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: C422455:ALB protein, human; D015415:Biomarkers; C515497:IGFBP3 protein, human; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human