title: Concentrations of fetuin-A, osteoprotegerin and α-Klotho in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentrations of fetuin-A, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and α-Klotho protein in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis at different stages of the disease, and to demonstrate that fetuin-A, osteoprotegin and α-Klotho may be used as markers of the severity of cirrhosis. A total of 54 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis treated in various hospitals in the Lublin region of Poland were randomly enrolled. The control group consisted of 18 healthy individuals without liver disease, who did not drink alcohol. Serum levels of fetuin-A, OPG and α-Klotho were measured by ELISA kits. Levels of fetuin-A were significantly reduced in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis compared with the control group. OPG levels were higher in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis than in the controls, whereas the levels of α-Klotho were comparable in the cirrhosis and control groups. No statistically significant differences in the concentrations of fetuin-A, OPG and α-Klotho protein were demonstrated according to type of liver cirrhosis. The findings of the present study revealed a significant negative correlation between the level of α-Klotho protein and C-reactive protein in the patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Concentrations of fetuin-A were lower, whereas those of OPG were higher, in the alcoholic liver cirrhosis group compared with the control group. Fetuin-A, OPG and α-Klotho may not be good indicators of liver cirrhosis severity. In conclusion, fetuin-A and OPG may be used in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prystupa
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dąbrowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; Department of Ethics and Human Philosophy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław Jerzy
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sak
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarach
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Medical Biostatistics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toruń-Jurkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lachowska-Kotowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dzida
keywords: Child-Pugh score; alcoholic liver cirrhosis; fetuin-A; osteoprotegerin; α-Klotho