Analysis of the relationship between serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and angiopoietin-like protein 4 levels and sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis and their predictive value
Li Ning
Huo Zemin
Zhou Qizhen
Kang Huijuan
Lyu Jing
Yu Hui
Zhang Li
Abstract：Objective To investigate the relationship between serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1(IGFBP-1)and angiopoietin-like protein 4(ANGPTL-4)levels and sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis,and their predictive value.Methods A total of 167 patients with liver cirrhosis admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology,Taiyuan Central Hospital,from January 2023 to July 2025(cirrhosis group)and 167 healthy volunteers(control group)during the same period were enrolled.Serum levels of IGFBP-1 and ANGPTL-4 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.According to the presence or absence of sarcopenia,patients with liver cirrhosis were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group.The factors associated with sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients and the predictive value of serum IGFBP-1 and ANGPTL-4 levels for sarcopenia were analyzed.Results Serum IGFBP-1 level was higher and ANGPTL-4 level was lower in the cirrhosis group than those in the control group[(30±5)μg/L vs(16±4)μg/L,(27±5)μg/L vs(40±5)μg/L](both P＜0.001).In cirrhotic patients,serum IGFBP-1 level was negatively correlated with appendicular skeletal muscle mass index,handgrip strength and 6-meter walking speed,and positively correlated with 5-time sit-up time,while the correlations of ANGPTL-4 level with the above indicators were opposite to those of IGFBP-1(all P＜0.001).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that increased age,Child-Pugh class C liver function and elevated IGFBP-1 were independent risk factors for sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients,while increased body mass index and elevated ANGPTL-4 were independent protective factors(all P＜0.05).The areas under the curve of serum IGFBP-1,ANGPTL-4 and their combination for predicting sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients were 0.803,0.794 and 0.877,respectively.The area under the curve of the combined prediction was larger than that of single prediction(all P＜0.001).Conclusion Elevated serum IGFBP-1 and decreased ANGPTL-4 are associated with sarcopenia in cirrhotic patients.The combination of serum IGFBP-1 and ANGPTL-4 has high predictive value for sarcopenia.
Keywords：Liver cirrhosisInsulin-like growth factor binding protein-1Angiopoietin-like protein 4Sarcopenia
Publication Date：2026-05-18
Online Publishing Date：2026-09-14(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 699-704 )