Insulin-Like Growth Factors and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins in Adult Patients with Severe Liver Disease before and after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Patients with severe liver disease show decreased levels of total and free IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3, and increased levels of IGFBP-1. These abnormalities are promptly normalized after successful LTX. Thus, serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 might be useful parameters for the assessment of liver function.