Circulating glucagon-like peptide-1 level in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract

Background

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut-derived incretin hormone, plays a pivotal role in glucose-induced insulin secretion. Currently, the role of incretin hormones in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis is not clearly defined. This study aimed to investigate circulating levels of GLP-1 in liver cirrhosis and its association with the severity of liver disease.

Methods

A total of 80 participants including 39 patients with a definite diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and 41 healthy controls recruited in this cross-sectional study. Circulating levels of GLP-1 were determined using the ELISA method. The severity of liver cirrhosis was assessed according to the Child-Pugh, MELD (i), MELD-Na, MELD New, and UK end-stage liver disease score (UKELD) criteria.

Results

The mean age of patients and healthy subjects was 42.51 ± 12.80 and 42.07 ± 10.92 years, respectively (p value = .869). The mean MELD (i), MELD-Na, MELD New, UKELD, and Child-Pugh scores were 14.36 ± 4.26, 15.26 ± 4.81, 14.74 ± 4.66, 52.33 ± 3.82, and 7.28 ± 1.50, respectively. In this study, circulating levels of GLP-1 were statistically lower in cirrhotic patients compared with healthy controls (95.26 ± 17.15 vs 111.84 ± 38.14 pg/mL; p value = .017).

Conclusion

Larger prospective studies are needed to explore the incretin effect in cirrhosis patients compared with healthy individuals.

Keywords:

• Cirrhosis
• glucagon-like peptide-1
• incretin
• chronic liver disease

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

Data used in this study are available upon request from the corresponding author.