The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis
Sarhan, A., El-Nemr, D., El-Ahwany, E., Galal, S. (2025). The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis. EKB Journal Management System, (), -. doi: 10.21608/zumj.2025.387847.3966
Afnan Sarhan; Dina El-Nemr; Eman El-Ahwany; Sherif Galal. "The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis". EKB Journal Management System, , , 2025, -. doi: 10.21608/zumj.2025.387847.3966
Sarhan, A., El-Nemr, D., El-Ahwany, E., Galal, S. (2025). 'The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis', EKB Journal Management System, (), pp. -. doi: 10.21608/zumj.2025.387847.3966
Sarhan, A., El-Nemr, D., El-Ahwany, E., Galal, S. The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis. EKB Journal Management System, 2025; (): -. doi: 10.21608/zumj.2025.387847.3966

The Role of Immunoglobulin Free Kappa Light Chains (FLCs) in Liver Cirrhosis

Zagazig University Medical Journal
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 June 2025  XML
Document Type: Review Articles
DOI: 10.21608/zumj.2025.387847.3966
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Authors
Afnan Sarhan email 1; Dina El-Nemr2; Eman El-Ahwany1; Sherif Galal3
1Theodor Bilharz Research Institute
2Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
3Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
Abstract
Background:

Liver cirrhosis represents the end-stage of chronic liver disease, characterized by progressive fibrosis, architectural distortion, and declining hepatic function. Traditional biomarkers primarily assess synthetic capacity, but growing evidence underscores the pivotal role of immune dysregulation in disease progression. Immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs), particularly kappa (κ) chains, have gained attention as novel biomarkers that reflect both systemic immune activation and impaired hepatic clearance mechanisms. Elevated FLC levels correlate with inflammatory pathways and endothelial dysfunction, offering insights into cirrhosis pathophysiology beyond conventional liver function tests.



Conclusion:

This review consolidates current evidence on FLCs in cirrhosis, highlighting their strong diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.82) and prognostic utility, with significant associations to MELD/Child-Pugh scores and complications like ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. We evaluate their clinical potential for risk stratification and early decompensation prediction, while addressing limitations such as renal confounding and assay variability. Future research should explore standardized cutoffs, longitudinal dynamics, and integration into multimodal prognostic models to optimize cirrhosis management.
Keywords
cirrhosis; biomarker; immunoglobulin; fibrosis; prognosis
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