Myostatin is associated with the presence and development of acute-on-chronic liver failure

Highlights

• Sarcopenia is associated with ACLF development and outcome.
• Myostatin is a key myokine involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle.
• Myostatin levels are lower in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and ACLF, and positively correlate with nutritional markers.
• Low myostatin levels are associated with the development of ACLF and decreased survival.

Impact and implications

Myostatin is a muscle hormone, it is decreased inpatients with muscle loss and is a marker of impaired muscle function. In this study we show that myostatin levels are decreased in patients with cirrhosis, with lower levels in patients with acute decompensation and acute-on chronic liver failure (ACLF). Low myostatin levels in cirrhosis predict the development of ACLF and mortality independently of liver disease severity and sex.

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Ruiz-Margáin, A., Pohlmann, A., Lanzerath, S., Langheinrich, M., Campos-Murguía, A., Román-Calleja, B.M., Schierwagen, R., Klein, S., Uschner, F.E., Brol, M.J., Torre-Delgadillo, A., Flores-García, N.C., Praktiknjo, M., Macías Rodríguez, R.U., Trebicka, J. Myostatin is associated with the presence and development of acute-on-chronic liver failure. JHEP Rep. 2023 Apr 14;5(8):100761. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100761. PMID: 37554924; PMCID: PMC10405090.