Adipokine profiles reflect metabolic dysfunction but not fibrosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis

Table 5 Clinical and biochemical parameters in primary biliary cholangitis patients with and without advanced liver fibrosis, mean ± SD/median (interquartile range)

	PBC/no advFib	PBC/advFib	P value
Number of patients, n (%)	62 (76.50)	19 (23.50)
Age (years)	63.60 ± 10.20	65.10 ± 10.00	0.5411
BMI	26.40 ± 5.10	28.20 ± 5.60	0.2141
Waist circumference (cm)	88.70 ± 12.40	94.0 ± 15.00	0.1231
AST (% of ULN)	78.33 (IQR 34.16)	90.00 (IQR 71.67)	0.0393
ALT (% of ULN)	71.67 (IQR 50.00)	63.33 (IQR 38.33)	0.4063
GGT (% of ULN)	112.70 (IQR 133.34)	142.86 (IQR 266.67)	0.1953
ALP (% of ULN)	92.50 (IQR 49.30)	92.50 (IQR 47.00)	0.8883
Bil-T (μmol/L)	11.20 (IQR 5.50)	17.50 (IQR 16.80)	0.0013
Bil-C (μmol/L)	2.22 (IQR 1.42)	3.99 (IQR 3.52)	0.0013
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.10 (IQR 1.00)	5.70 (IQR 2.00)	0.0033
C-peptide (ng/mL)	1.68 (IQR 1.23)	2.27 (IQR 1.19)	0.0313
HOMA-IR	4.70 (IQR 1.81)	6.43 (IQR 4.59)	0.0033
TC (mmol/L)	5.43 ± 1.24	4.88 ± 1.09	0.0891
HDL-C (mmol/L)	1.73 ± 0.42	1.47 ± 0.43	0.0221
LDL-C (mmol/L)	3.46 (IQR 1.12)	2.99 (IQR 1.28)	0.2212
Ferritin (mg/L)	76.90 (IQR 81.50)	52.65 (IQR 65.30)	0.8492
TG (mmol/L)	1.06 (IQR 0.51)	1.05 (IQR 0.62)	0.4763
Platelets (× 109/L)	250 (IQR 86.50)	175.5 (IQR 153.70)	< 0.0013
Adiponectin (pg/mL)	1955.46 (IQR 2663.73)	1782.70 (IQR 1854.27)	0.7562
Leptin (ng/mL)	1.09 (IQR 1.64)	1.12 (IQR 1.89)	0.5152
CAP (dB/m)	216.00 (IQR 67)	259.00 (IQR 82)	0.2092
Liver stiffness (TE, kPa)	5.60 (IQR 2.75)	14.95 (IQR 7.70)	< 0.0012
L/A ratio	0.46 (IQR 1.33)	1.05 (IQR 2.07)	0.4822

¹Independent T-test.

²Independent T-test after log-transformed.

³Mann-Whitney U test.

Advanced fibrosis was associated with higher bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase levels, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, but not with leptin or adiponectin. Values are presented as raw (untransformed) data, statistical tests were performed on log-transformed values where indicated. PBC: Primary biliary cholangitis; AdvFib: Advanced fibrosis; BMI: Body mass index; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ULN: Upper limit of normal; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; Bil-T: Total bilirubin; Bil-C: Conjugated bilirubin; HOMA-IR: Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; TC: Total cholesterol; HDL-C: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides; CAP: Controlled attenuation parameter; TE: Transient elastography; L/A ratio: Leptin-to-adiponectin ratio; IQR: Interquartile range.