Elevated serum levels of methylglyoxal are associated with impaired liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive dicarbonyl species that forms advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The binding of these AGEs to their receptor (RAGE) causes and sustains severe inflammation. Systemic inflammation is postulated to be a major driver in the progression of liver cirrhosis. However, the role of circulating MGO levels and its association with disease severity in patients with liver cirrhosis remains unknown.

Methods A total of 51 patients with a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis of mixed etiology were prospectively enrolled. Serum levels of MGO (ng/ml) were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Clinical and laboratory assessment was performed at baseline.

Results In this cohort, 51% of patients showed a compensated (n = 26) and 49% (n = 25) a decompensated liver cirrhosis. Patients with a Child-Pugh C liver cirrhosis showed the highest MGO levels (p < 0.001) than with a Child-Pugh A and B liver cirrhosis. In a multivariable regression analysis, high MGO levels remained independently associated with impaired liver function, as assessed by the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) (β = 0.448, p = 0.002) and acute decompensation (AD) (β = 0.345, p = 0.005) scores. Furthermore, MGO was positively correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (IL-6, p = 0.004) and the development of ascites (p = 0.013).

Conclusion Circulating levels of MGO are elevated in advanced stages of liver cirrhosis and are associated with impaired liver function and liver-related parameters.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
26. Januar 2022