Elevated serum levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein are associated with covert hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis

© 2023 The Author(s)..

Background & Aims: Blood biomarkers facilitating the diagnosis of covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) in patients with cirrhosis are lacking. Astrocyte swelling is a major component of hepatic encephalopathy. Thus, we hypothesised that glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the major intermediate filament of astrocytes, might facilitate early diagnosis and management. This study aimed to investigate the utility of serum GFAP (sGFAP) levels as a biomarker of CHE.

Methods: In this bicentric study, 135 patients with cirrhosis, 21 patients with ongoing harmful alcohol use and cirrhosis, and 15 healthy controls were recruited. CHE was diagnosed using psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score. sGFAP levels were measured using a highly sensitive single-molecule array (SiMoA) immunoassay.

Results: In total, 50 (37%) people presented with CHE at study inclusion. Participants with CHE displayed significantly higher sGFAP levels than those without CHE (median sGFAP, 163 pg/ml [IQR 136; 268] vs. 106 pg/ml [IQR 75; 153]; p <0.001) or healthy controls (p <0.001). sGFAP correlated with results in psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (Spearman's ρ = -0.326, p <0.001), model for end-stage liver disease score (Spearman's ρ = 0.253, p = 0.003), ammonia (Spearman's ρ = 0.453, p = 0.002), and IL-6 serum levels (Spearman's ρ = 0.323, p = 0.006). Additionally, sGFAP levels were independently associated with the presence of CHE in multivariable logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 1.009; 95% CI 1.004-1.015; p <0.001). sGFAP levels did not differ between patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis vs. patients with non-alcohol-related cirrhosis or between patients with ongoing alcohol use vs. patients with discontinued alcohol use.Conclusions: sGFAP levels are associated with CHE in patients with cirrhosis. These results suggest that astrocyte injury may already occur in patients with cirrhosis and subclinical cognitive deficits and that sGFAP could be explored as a novel biomarker.

Impact and implications: Blood biomarkers facilitating the diagnosis of covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) in patients with cirrhosis are lacking. In this study, we were able to demonstrate that sGFAP levels are associated with CHE in patients with cirrhosis. These results suggest that astrocyte injury may already occur in patients with cirrhosis and subclinical cognitive deficits and that sGFAP could be explored as a novel biomarker.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:5

Enthalten in:

JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology - 5(2023), 4 vom: 27. Apr., Seite 100671

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Gairing, Simon Johannes [VerfasserIn]
Danneberg, Sven [VerfasserIn]
Kaps, Leonard [VerfasserIn]
Nagel, Michael [VerfasserIn]
Schleicher, Eva Maria [VerfasserIn]
Quack, Charlotte [VerfasserIn]
Engel, Sinah [VerfasserIn]
Bittner, Stefan [VerfasserIn]
Galle, Peter Robert [VerfasserIn]
Schattenberg, Jörn Markus [VerfasserIn]
Wörns, Marcus-Alexander [VerfasserIn]
Luessi, Felix [VerfasserIn]
Marquardt, Jens Uwe [VerfasserIn]
Labenz, Christian [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Biomarkers
CHE
CHE, covert hepatic encephalopathy
Cognitive deficit
Complications of cirrhosis
GFAP
GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein
HE
HE, hepatic encephalopathy
HE2, grade 2 hepatic encephalopathy
Journal Article
MELD, model for end-stage liver disease
MHE, minimal hepatic encephalopathy
OHE, overt hepatic encephalopathy
OR, odds ratio
PHES, psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score
Psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score
ROC, receiver operating characteristic
SGFAP, serum glial fibrillary acidic protein
SiMoA, single-molecule array
WBC, white blood cell

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 04.03.2023

published: Electronic-eCollection

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100671

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM353723053