Predictive and Diagnostic Value of Serum Adipokines in Pregnant Women with Intrahepatic Cholestasis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the value of serum leptin, adiponectin, apelin, and ghrelin as biomarkers for the prediction and diagnosis of intra-hepatic cholestasis (ICP). This prospective study included pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy: 63 with ICP, 48 and 15 of whom had mild and severe disease, respectively, and 32 as controls. ICP women had increased median levels of serum leptin, adiponectin, apelin, and ghrelin compared to the controls (p < 0.05). These biomarkers meaningfully changed regarding the severity of ICP: While leptin was reduced, apelin and ghrelin were increased, and adiponectin was increased somewhat. To predict and diagnose ICP, the predictive values of serum leptin, adiponectin, and apelin need to be accepted as comparable, with moderate to high sensitivity and specificity; however, the predictive value of serum ghrelin was somewhat lower. More research is needed to clarify the potential properties of adipokines to gain acceptance as a predictive or diagnostic biomarker for ICP.

Serum placental growth factor, total cholesterol, and triglycerides for prediction of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

“…An independent investigation by Dong et al [ 33 ] unveiled that a composite of L-palmitoyl carnitine, acyl CoA oxidase 1, and glycocholic acid levels holds potential as a biomarker ensemble for diagnosing and predicting ICP during the first and second trimesters. When juxtaposed with other biomarkers utilized for predicting and diagnosing ICP, including leptin, adiponectin, apelin, and ghrelin, [ 34 ] the elevated receiver operating characteristic-AUC values generated by the synergistic use of PIGF, TC, and TG suggest that the amalgamation of these 3 metrics offers heightened precision in prognosticating ICP. Notably, the serological markers harnessed within this study are easily accessible and frequently assessed during routine outpatient or inpatient assessments.…”

Insights into the Anorexic Potential of Khat: An Integrated in vivo, ex vivo, and in silico Investigation

“…Ghrelin concentration in plasma was evaluated using a competitive inhibition enzyme immune assay [30]. All reagents and solutions were prepared according to the manufacturer's protocol (BioSource, USA).…”

Bile Acids in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

“…The disease occurs at different rates; the average incidence of ICP remains at the level of 0.2–15.6%, but shows large ethnic, geographic, and seasonal variation [ 23 ]. The highest incidence of ICP is recorded in South American countries, especially Chile and Bolivia [ 24 , 25 ].…”