Insulin-like Growth Factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) as biomarkers of catabolism

Abstract

The life of an organism depends on its capacity to maintain equilibrium Disease induces acute adaptive responses specific to the stimulus and the organism achieves stability through change. These changes are associated with increased growth hormone resistance and activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis, altered insulin response and cytokine synthesis and, closely related to all these events, alteration of the complex system interrelating insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and their receptors. This review aims to provide an overview of the results obtained in our laboratory from studies of the IGF system in patients with metabolic disturbances caused by infection, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal diseases, open or laparoscopic surgery and postoperative sepsis.

Keywords

• catabolism
• igf-binding proteins (igfbps)
• insulin-like growth factors (igfs)