Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) replacement therapy increases albumin concentration in liver cirrhosis: results of a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background/aims: Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is an anabolic hormone synthesized in the liver whose levels decrease sharply in liver cirrhosis.

Methods: We conducted a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of subcutaneous administration of IGF-I (20 microg/kg/day with dose escalation to 50-100 microg/kg/day) for 4 months in patients with alcoholic or primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and subnormal IGF-I levels. Eight alcoholics and one PBC entered the placebo group and seven alcoholics and two PBC the treatment group.