Serum bile acids and leptin interact with glucose metabolism in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background & aims: We investigated possible involvements of bile acids (BA) and leptin in hepatogenous insulin resistance being present in up to 90% of cirrhotic patients. Methods: Blood was analysed in 10 cirrhotic patients (8m/2f, 48 +/- 10.4 yrs) and 10 controls (8m/2f, 43 +/- 9.3 yrs) after oral nutrition and during 1 h of parenteral feeding. In patients, leptin was additionally analysed from mesenteric and arterial blood. Results: Cirrhosis patients showed typical signs of hepatogenous insulin resistance (hyperinsulinaemia, normoglycaemia, hyperglucagonaemia). Both fasting BA (r = .714, p = 0.047) and fasting leptin (r = .867, p = 0.001) correlated to HOMA and predicted insulin response after oral feeding (R(2)adj = .783, p = 0.002). But during parenteral nutrition only leptin predicted insulin response (p = 0.005). The prandial glucose response was negatively correlated to the BA increase after oral nutrition (r = -.733, p = 0.028) and to the change in leptin during parenteral nutrition (r = -.738, p = 0.037) pointing towards a nutritional route-dependent positive impact on glucose tolerance of both substances. Prandial glucagon response was correlated to BA under both feeding conditions (p <0.05). We found no relevant intestinal release of leptin during fasting or feeding conditions. Conclusion: Our results suggest a substantial involvement of BA and leptin by improving postprandial glucose tolerance related to liver cirrhosis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.