Serum omentin and vaspin levels in cirrhotic patients with and without portal vein thrombosis.

AIM

To investigate serum omentin and vaspin levels in cirrhotic patients; and to assess the relationship of these levels with hemostatic parameters, metabolic abnormalities, cirrhosis severity and etiology.

METHODS

Fifty-one cirrhotic patients (17 with portal vein thrombosis) were analyzed. Serum omentin and vaspin levels were measured with commercially available direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). To assess platelet activity, the following tests were performed using a MULTIPLATEPLATELET FUNCTION ANALYZER: (1) an ADP-induced platelet activation test; (2) a cyclooxygenase dependent aggregation test (ASPI test); (3) a von Willebrand factor and glycoprotein Ib-dependent aggregation (using ristocetin) test (RISTO test); and (4) a test for thrombin receptor-activating peptide-6 induced activation of the thrombin receptor, which is sensitive to IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists.

RESULTS

Omentin, but not vaspin, serum concentrations were significantly decreased in patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) ( = 0.01). Prothrombin levels were significantly increased in patients with PVT ( = 0.01). The thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) test results were significantly lower in the PVT group ( = 0.03). No significant differences in adipokines serum levels were found regarding the etiology or severity of liver cirrhosis assessed according to the Child-Pugh or Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores. There was a significant increase in the TRAP ( = 0.03), ASPI ( = 0.001) and RISTO high-test ( = 0.02) results in patients with lower MELD scores. Serum omentin and vaspin levels were significantly down-regulated in patients without insulin resistance ( = 0.03, = 0.02, respectively). A positive relationship between omentin and vaspin levels were found both when all of the patients were analyzed ( = 0.41, = 0.01) and among those with PVT ( = 0.94, < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Serum omentin levels are increased in patients without PVT. Cirrhosis origin and grade do not affect omentin and vaspin levels. The analyzed adipokines do not influence platelet activity.