Study of Osteopontin Levels in Chronic Liver Disease

BACKGROUND: Recently, plasma osteopontin (OPN) levels were shown to predict liver fibrosis in various chronic liver diseases, such as alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and chronic viral hepatitis B and C. The significance of serum OPN measurement in assessing the severity of liver disease of alcoholic etiology remains unclear and therefore evaluated in the study. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the use ofserum osteopontin to monitor the severity of chronic alcoholic liver disease. OBJECTIVES: 1. To compare the serum osteopontin levels of chronic alcoholic liver disease patients with matched controls. 2. To find the correlation of serum osteopontin level with other laboratory parameters in patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease. 3. To find the strength of correlation ofserum osteopontin level with severity of the disease as assessed by Child Pugh classifation and MELD score in patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease. METHODS: Patients with chronic liver disease diagnosed by clinical features, laboratory investigations, imaging and endoscopy were enrolled to the study. They were found to be chronic alcoholics. 45 healthy age and sex matched controls were selected. Serum osteopontin level was measured using ELISA method. Other laboratory parameters like haemoglobin, platelet count, liver function tests, prothrombin time were assayed by standard methods. Serum osteopontin levels were correlated liver function tests, Child Pugh classification and MELD score of cases. RESULTS: Serum OPN levels were significantly higher(48.04 ± 20.03 ng/ml) in chronic liver disease patients than the controls(26.60 ± 17.96 ng/ml). There was significant positive correlation of OPN with liver enzymes (AST, ALT), serum bilirubin and INR. There was significant negative correlation of OPN with albumin. The level of OPN increased progressively with increasing severity of liver disease in terms of Child Pugh score and MELD score. CONCLUSION: From this study we infer the important role of OPN in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease. OPN has role in severity assessment of chronic liver disease of alcoholic etiology