PLoS ONE (Jan 2014)

Serum autotaxin is a parameter for the severity of liver cirrhosis and overall survival in patients with liver cirrhosis--a prospective cohort study.

  • Thomas Pleli,
  • Daniel Martin,
  • Bernd Kronenberger,
  • Friederike Brunner,
  • Verena Köberle,
  • Georgios Grammatikos,
  • Harald Farnik,
  • Yolanda Martinez,
  • Fabian Finkelmeier,
  • Sandra Labocha,
  • Nerea Ferreirós,
  • Stefan Zeuzem,
  • Albrecht Piiper,
  • Oliver Waidmann

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103532
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 7
p. e103532

Abstract

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BackgroundAutotaxin (ATX) and its product lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are considered to be involved in the development of liver fibrosis and elevated levels of serum ATX have been found in patients with hepatitis C virus associated liver fibrosis. However, the clinical role of systemic ATX in the stages of liver cirrhosis was unknown. Here we investigated the relation of ATX serum levels and severity of cirrhosis as well as prognosis of cirrhotic patients.MethodsPatients with liver cirrhosis were prospectively enrolled and followed until death, liver transplantation or last contact. Blood samples drawn at the day of inclusion in the study were assessed for ATX content by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ATX levels were correlated with the stage as well as complications of cirrhosis. The prognostic value of ATX was investigated by uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses. LPA concentration was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Results270 patients were enrolled. Subjects with liver cirrhosis showed elevated serum levels of ATX as compared to healthy subjects (0.814±0.42 mg/l vs. 0.258±0.40 mg/l, PConclusionSerum ATX is an indicator for the severity of liver disease and the prognosis of cirrhotic patients.