摘要
Background and Aims:To evaluate the prevalence and significance of elevated cancer antigen-125(CA-125)levels in patients with cirrhosis being treated in a tertiary care liver center and its correlation with objective markers of disease severity.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 172 adult patients with cirrhosis(due to any etiology)after obtaining CA-125 serum analysis.Demographics,etiology of cirrhosis,model of end-stage liver disease(MELD)score,Child's Turcotte-Pugh classification,albumin bilirubin(ALBI)score,degree of ascites,presence of esophageal varices,serum CA-125 level and various other parameters were collected.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software and descriptive statistics.Results:Elevated CA-125 levels were noted in 147 patients(85%)of the study population.Higher MELD score was associated with higher CA-125 levels(p=0.001).Statistically significant correlation was observed between elevated CA-125 levels and degree of ascites(p<0.001),ALBI score(p<0.001)and Child's Turcotte-Pugh class(p<0.001).No correlation was observed with presence or absence of esophageal varices.Near-normal CA-125 levels were noted in patients with cirrhosis but undetectable ascites on ultrasound imaging.No differences were observed in mean values between male and female patients(p=0.207).Regression analysis confirmed that CA-125 levels had a better correlation with degree of ascites than MELD score or ALBI score.Conclusions:Elevated CA-125 levels were noted in 85%of patients with cirrhosis at our center.Our study establishes that the more advanced the degree of decompensation based on MELD score,Child's Turcotte-Pugh classification and ALBI score,the higher the elevation in CA-125.Absence of ascites was associated with normal CA-125 level,with a direct correlation between high levels and worsening ascites,but there was no statistically significant correlation with esophageal varices,indicating that elevated CA-125 levels could be related to mechanical stretch of the peritoneum rather than por
