Serum HMGB1 and Alcohol-Related Liver Disease.

Background/

Objectives

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) lacks widely adopted biomarkers that reflect disease activity and severity. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern, has been implicated in ALD pathogenesis. We evaluated the detectability of circulating HMGB1 in patients with ALD during active alcohol use and examined clinical associations.

Methods

In this observational study, we enrolled hospitalized adults with ongoing ethanol use between 1 November 2023, and 31 December 2024. Controls had no history of excessive alcohol consumption and normal liver biochemistry. Clinical features, laboratory tests, and severity scores (including MELD, MELD-Na, and CLIF-C AD) were recorded. Serum HMGB1 was measured by ELISA; values ≥ 0.08 ng/mL were considered detectable.

Results

The cohort included 68 participants (58 with ALD and 10 controls); 29 patients had cirrhosis. HMGB1 was detectable in 32 measurements (42%), with a median concentration of 4.6 ng/mL (IQR, 0.78-10.6; range, 0.08-140.6). Detectable HMGB1 was more frequent in ALD than in controls (47% vs. 11%). Compared with HMGB1-negative patients, HMGB1-positive patients had higher total bilirubin and creatinine levels, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, higher white cell counts, and lower serum sodium. Liver enzyme activities and INR did not differ meaningfully by HMGB1 status. MELD, MELD-Na, and CLIF-C AD scores were higher in HMGB1-positive patients. Admission ethanol levels were higher in HMGB1-negative patients. Mortality and readmission did not differ by HMGB1 status.

Conclusions

Detectable circulating HMGB1 is present in a subset of patients with ALD and is associated with greater liver disease severity.