Relationship between Disorders of Lipid Profile and Features of Liver Cirrhosis- An Open Prospective and Comparative Analysis of Patients of Stavropol Territory in Russian Federation

Abstract

Introduction: Liver plays an essential role in the metabolism, synthesis, transport and clearance of lipids and lipoproteins, therefore, changes in the lipid profile in liver pathology reflects the degree of its dysfunction. Leading role in the development of atherosclerosis belongs to lipid spectrum disorders in the form of hyperlipidaemia and dyslipidaemia, associated with an increased cardiovascular risk in liver cirrhosis. Aim: To study the relationship between violations of lipid profile of blood with the features and the clinical picture of Liver Cirrhosis (LC). Materials and Methods: The study was an open prospective and comparative analysis of patients with LC, conducted at Stavropol State Medical University (Stavropol State, Russia). Research was conducted from June till August 2020. In 108 patients with LC, blood concentration of total cholesterol, triglycerides, High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) were studied in association with manifestations of the disease. Control group constituted of 45 healthy individuals, comparable in sex, age and ethnicity. Two sample student’s t-test, Newman Keuls test, chi-square test with Yates’s correction and Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient (r) were calculated. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used, the Odds Ratio (OR) and its 95% Confidence Interval (CI), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy were determined. Differences were considered statistically significant at p≤0.05. Results: Regardless of gender and age of patients, decrease of serum levels of total cholesterol (p<0.05), triglycerides (p<0.05), HDL (p<0.05) and LDL (p<0.05) were marked, associated with expression of portal hypertension and severity of liver cirrhosis. Parameters of LDL more than 2.16 mmol/L {OR 6.78-95% CI (2.74-16.78)} were connected with absence of oesophageal varices. Levels of triglycerides less than 0.83 mmol/L {OR 10.85-95% CI (2.86-41.19)} were associated with presence of oesophageal varices of grade III. Generally, hyperlipidaemia was observed in 17.6% of patients, and it was associated with alcoholic aetiology of liver cirrhosis (χ2=3.7; p=0.053). Hypocholesterolaemia (81.5% of cases) or hypotriglyceridaemia (48.1% of cases) was more commonly observed in patients with ascites (χ2=8.8; p=0.003), and classes B, C according Child-Pugh score (χ2=4.0; p=0.045). Conclusion: In this study, it was found that, in liver cirrhosis, there is a decrease in the serum content of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL, regardless of gender and age of patients. The LDL values of more than 2.16 mmol/L are associated with an increased chance of absence of oesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Keywords

• dyslipidaemia
• dyslipidemia
• high density lipoproteins
• low density lipoproteins
• oesophageal varices
• triglycerides