Background: Alcohol-related liver cirrhosis is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. Fetuin-A (also called AHSG) is a protein made by liver cells. Its level falls during inflammation and liver damage, so it can show how well the liver is functioning. This study measured serum Fetuin-A levels in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, compared them with Child-Pugh (CP) stages, and studied their relationship with routine liver tests and C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study with a control group done at Coimbatore Medical College & Hospital from March to August 2019. A total of 50 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and 50 age-matched healthy individuals were included. Serum Fetuin-A levels were measured using sandwich ELISA. Liver function tests, CRP, prothrombin time/INR, and serum albumin were also measured. Disease severity was graded using the Child-Pugh scoring system. Statistical analysis was done using Student’s t-test and Pearson correlation, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: Serum Fetuin-A levels were much lower in cirrhosis patients at 41.80 ± 33.82 ng/mL compared to healthy controls at 95.77 ± 10.11 ng/mL with a significant difference. Levels decreased as disease severity increased: CP-A 92.39 ± 32.11 ng/mL, CP-B 56.95 ± 8.92 ng/mL, and CP-C 13.71 ± 3.48 ng/mL, with all comparisons showing strong significance. Fetuin-A showed a strong negative correlation with total bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, and CRP, meaning levels decreased as these increased. It showed a positive correlation with total protein and albumin, meaning levels increased along with better liver function. All these correlations were statistically significant. Conclusion: Serum Fetuin-A levels decrease steadily as liver function worsens in alcoholic cirrhosis. It shows strong relationships with common liver injury markers and inflammation, making it a useful marker to assess disease severity.
Anitha et al. (Wed,) studied this question.