Serum and ascitic activin A in patients with liver cirrhosis

Objective To observe the levels of serum and ascitic activin A in patients with liver cirrhosis,and investigate the possible related factors for their changes.Methods The levels of serum and ascitic fluid activin A in 45 patients with liver cirrhosis(10 Child-Pugh A,23 Child-Pugh B and 12 Child-Pugh C),and in 20 healthy controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA).The levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase,alanine aminotransferase,alkaline phosphatase and urea were detected by standard enzymatic methods. Results The serum levels of activin A in liver cirrhosis(2.71±1.90 ng/ml)were significantly higher than those in controls(0.21±0.15 ng/ml,P0.01).There were different serum activin A levels among Child-Pugh A(1.44±0.16ng/ml),Child-Pugh B(1.95±0.45ng/ml)and Child-Pugh C(3.08±0.65ng/ml),(P0.01).The levels of serum activin A in patients with cirrhosis positively correlated with Child-Pugh grades(r=0.894,P=0.041),aspartate aminotransferase(r=0.647,P=0.000),alanine aminotransferase(r=0.550,P=0.000) and alkaline phosphatase(r= 0.328, P=0.028).The levels of ascitic activin A in patients with cirrhosis were (0.43±0.24) ng/ml,they were different among Child-Pugh A(0.39±0.210g/ml),B(0.48±0.27ng/ml)and C(0.41± 0.22 ng/ml,P0.01).The levels of ascitic activin A were not associated with the levels of serum activin A,but negatively correlated with the serum urea levels(r=-0.415,P=0.003).Conclusions Serum levels of activin A were elevated in patients with cirrhosis.The increase may be related to the severity of liver damage and the renal function.