Clinical Nutrition and Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Hospital, via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy,
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2013 Mar;4(1):31-9. doi: 10.1007/s13539-012-0083-5. Epub 2012 Sep 6.
Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an α-glycoprotein synthesized in the liver. Its serum level decreases in many clinical conditions such as acute and chronic liver damage, inflammation, injury and infections, and malnutrition.
This review collects the main evidence on the emerging role of butyrylcholinesterase as a prognostic marker of liver and nonliver diseases as well as a marker of protein-energy malnutrition and obesity. In fact, serum concentrations and BChE activity seem to accurately reflect the availability of amino acidic substrates and/or derangement in protein synthesis due to hepatocellular damage. In cancer, with or without liver impairment, serum BChE levels serve as an accurate functional and prognostic indicator, useful for monitoring clinical and therapeutic interventions according to patients' prognosis. In the absence of inflammation, BChE could also serve as an index of the effectiveness of nutritional support.
Serum BChE assessment should be included in routine clinical diagnostic procedures to evaluate patient clinical conditions, in particular in cases of inflammation and/or protein-energy malnutrition.
丁酰胆碱酯酶（BChE）是一种在肝脏中合成的α-糖蛋白。其血清水平在许多临床情况下都会降低，如急性和慢性肝损伤、炎症、损伤和感染以及营养不良。
本综述收集了丁酰胆碱酯酶作为肝脏和非肝脏疾病的预后标志物以及蛋白质-能量营养不良和肥胖标志物的新兴作用的主要证据。事实上，血清浓度和 BChE 活性似乎能准确反映由于肝细胞损伤导致的氨基酸底物的可用性和/或蛋白质合成的紊乱。在癌症中，无论是否有肝损伤，血清 BChE 水平都是一种准确的功能和预后指标，可根据患者的预后情况用于监测临床和治疗干预。在没有炎症的情况下，BChE 也可以作为营养支持效果的指标。
血清 BChE 评估应纳入常规临床诊断程序，以评估患者的临床状况，特别是在存在炎症和/或蛋白质-能量营养不良的情况下。
