ABSTRACT

Objective:

The liver is the major source of serum biotinidase. Therefore liver cirrhosis can lead to decreased serum biotinidase activity and biotin deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess serum biotinidase activity in adult patients with liver cirrhosis and to investigate the relationship between serum biotinidase activity and the degree of compensation of liver cirrhosis.

Material and Method:

A total 40 cirrhotic patients were included in the study (24 decompensated and 16 compensated) (mean age 53,5 yr, range 37-78 yr). 21 and 15 patients were associated with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus, respectively, and 4 patients had cryptogenic cirrhosis. None of the patients exhibited clinical symptoms related to biotin deficiency. The control group consisted of 26 healthy persons (14 male and 12 female) (mean age 32 yr, range 20-50 yr). The statistical analyses were performed by student’s t test.

Results:

Serum biotinidase activities were found 5,7±1,6, 7,8±2 and 8,7±1,5 μmol/min/mL (mean±STD) (decompensated cirrhosis, compensated cirrhosis and the control group, respectively). Serum biotinidase activities in patients with decompensated cirrhosis were lower than both the patients with compensated cirrhosis and the control group’s activities (p=0,005, p<0,001, respectively). However, there was no difference between patients with compensated cirrhosis and the control group (p>0,05).

Conclusion:

Our findings suggested that serum biotinidase activity was significantly lower in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. However, the patients with compensated cirrhosis had similar biotinidase activity in comparison with the control group. These results indicated that the decreased serum biotinidase activity was associated with severe impaired hepatocellular function although there were no clinical symptoms regarding the biotin deficiency. Whether these patients can benefit from biotin supplementation needs further investigations.