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Subject Area

Clinical Pathology

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objectives To investigate the role of serum copeptin level as a predictor of the severity of liver cirrhosis and its complications. Background Liver cirrhosis is the end result of chronic liver diseases. Progressive cirrhosis is related to circulatory and renal dysfunctions that are correlated with an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. Despite that arginine vasopressin (AVP) is an important regulator of water balance that helps to maintain osmotic and cardiovascular homeostasis, its instability renders accurate measurement difficult and prohibits routine use. Copeptin, a glycopeptide made up of the AVP prohormone's C-terminal portion, could be applied instead of AVP measurement. Patients and methods This case–control study was conducted on 90 subjects, including 75 patients and 15 healthy controls with liver cirrhosis. Serum copeptin level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlation of serum copeptin level with liver functions and clinical parameters was investigated. Results Regarding the severity of liver disease, 58.67% of patients were Child-C, 21.33% were Child-B, and 20% were Child-A. The mean value of copeptin was significantly higher in Child-C (8.591 ± 1.707 ng/m) cirrhotic patients than Child-B (6.794 ± 1.744 ng/ml) and Child-A (1.087 ± 0.391 ng/ml) patients. The cutoff values of serum copeptin as regards, gastrointestinal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and hepatorenal syndrome were > 5.9, > 5.9, and > 6.1 ng/ml, respectively. Conclusion Serum copeptin is a promising prognostic diagnostic for predicting the severity of liver cirrhosis and its associated complications.

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