IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum levels in patients hospitalized for complications of liver cirrhosis.

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.
Aims: To investigate the significance of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in patients with decompensated liver disease.
Material and 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.