Association between Circulating Growth Differentiation Factor 15 and Cirrhotic Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Biochemistry
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a progressive liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis without effective treatment.
• Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is implicated in various pathological conditions, but its role in cirrhotic PBC requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role and diagnostic accuracy of circulating GDF15 in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).
• To assess the correlation of GDF15 levels with disease severity, biochemical parameters, and prognosis in cirrhotic PBC patients.

Main Methods:

• Serum GDF15 levels were measured using enzyme immunoassay in 20 cirrhotic PBC patients, 26 non-cirrhotic PBC patients, and 10 healthy controls.
• Correlations between GDF15, weight changes, albumin, bilirubin, bile acids, C-reactive protein, Mayo risk score, and MELD score were analyzed.
• Diagnostic accuracy for cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and cirrhotic biochemical non-responders was determined using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Main Results:

• Serum GDF15 levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic PBC patients compared to non-cirrhotic PBC patients and healthy controls.
• GDF15 levels strongly correlated with weight changes, albumin, direct bilirubin, total bile acids, C-reactive protein, Mayo risk score, and MELD score.
• GDF15 demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for cirrhosis (0.725), decompensated cirrhosis (0.956), and cirrhotic biochemical non-responders (0.835).

Conclusions:

• Circulating GDF15 is a valuable biomarker for assessing disease severity, prognosis, nutritional status, and treatment response in cirrhotic PBC patients.
• GDF15 shows satisfactory overall performance as an integrated biochemical marker.
• Therapeutic strategies targeting GDF15 may benefit cirrhotic PBC patients and warrant further investigation.