No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Flavobacteriaceae Infections ; Flavobacterium/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/blood/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/chemistry/genetics/metabolism ; Republic of Korea ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo determine serum pepsinogen levels in patients with liver cirrhosis and investigate the functions of the gastric mucosa in these patients with concurrent portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG).

METHODSFifty-one patients with liver cirrhosis and 22 healthy controls were studied by gastroscopy. The hepatic function of the patients with or without PHG were evaluated with Child-Pugh grade. Helicobacter pylori infection was detected using rapid urease test or exhalation of carbon 13. The serum pepsinogen I and II levels were tested by latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetry to calculate the PGI/PGII ratio (PGR).

RESULTSIn cirrhotic patients, the levels of serum PGI and PGR were lower than those in the healthy controls. The patients without PHG had a serum PGI level of 49.48+23.86 µg/L, significantly lower than that in PHG patients (74.85+30.27 µg/L, P=0.000). The levels of serum PG II in patients with H.pylori infection was significantly higher that in patients free of H.pylori infection (P=0.003).

CONCLUSIONThe serum level of PGI decreases obviously in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and PHG, who can have damages of the gastric mucosa lamina propria and reduced secretory function of the gastric mucosa. H.pylori infection may affect the level of PGII. There is no significant correlation between serum PG level and liver function, but to a certain extent, serum PG level especially PGI can reflect the function of gastric mucosa in patients of liver cirrhosis.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Helicobacter Infections ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; complications ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pepsinogen A ; blood ; Stomach Diseases ; blood ; etiology ; microbiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) has been known to greatly influence the survival rate of patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the factors that affect the survival rate in patients with SBP need to be clarified. METHODS: This study enrolled 95 liver cirrhosis patients diagnosed with SBP. The laboratory findings of their serum and ascitic fluid were examined and the characteristics of the isolated microorganisms in their peritoneal fluid were analyzed. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with culture-positive SBP was 41.1%, and 47 microorganisms were isolated from the ascitic fluid. The proportions of cultured bacteria that were Gram negative and Gram positive were 57.4% and 40.4%, respectively. The proportions of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Streptococcus species were 25.5%, 19.1%, and 19.1%, respectively. Enterococcus species represented 12.8% of the microorganisms cultured. The overall survival rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 44.5%, 37.4%, and 32.2%, respectively. There was no relationship between the bacterial factors and the survival rate in SBP. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; P=0.001), higher serum bilirubin levels (> or =3 mg/dL, P=0.002), a prolonged serum prothrombin time (i.e., international normalized ratio >2.3, P<0.001), renal dysfunction (creatinine >1.3 mg/dL, P<0.001), and lower glucose levels in the ascitic fluid (<50 mg/dL, P<0.001) were independent predictive factors of overall survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: HCC, higher serum bilirubin levels, a prolonged serum prothrombin time, renal dysfunction, and lower ascitic glucose levels are associated with higher mortality rates in cirrhotic patients with SBP.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Ascitic Fluid/metabolism/microbiology ; Bilirubin/blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications/diagnosis ; Creatinine/blood ; Female ; Glucose/analysis ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Gram-Positive Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/*mortality ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Peritonitis/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Prognosis ; Prothrombin Time ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and blood ammonia levels in cirrhotic patients is controversial. We aimed to clarify this controvercy by performing a meta-analysis of published studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library for studies which explored the association between H. pylori and blood ammonia levels in cirrhotic patients before May 2012. Six cohort studies involved in 632 H. pylori positive and 396 H. pylori negative cirrhotic patients were eligible for our analysis. The summary estimates were presented as standard means differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from individual studies. RESULTS: Overall, there was significant association between H. pylori infection and the elevated blood ammonia levels in cirrhotic patients (SMD=0.34, 95% CI=0.21-0.47, I2=42.1%). Sensitivity analysis further confirmed this association. Subgroup analysis showed that the association was found only in Asian ethnicity, but not in Caucasian ethnicity. CONCLUSION: H. pylori infection is associated with elevated blood ammonia levels in cirrhotic patients, and more large scale studies and stratify analysis are warranted in order to further evaluate this association.
Ammonia/blood ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Helicobacter Infections/*blood ; Helicobacter pylori/pathogenicity ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*blood/*microbiology ; Publication Bias ; Regression Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) in serum and ascites of cirrhotic patients, and determine their diagnostic value for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).

METHODSCirrhotic patients were divided into groups according to diagnosis of SBP, ascites without SBP, no ascites. To explore the significance of LBP in clinically suspect SBP cases, the ascites without SBP group was sub-divided into two groups according to the symptoms of abdominal pain or elevated white blood cell (WBC) count, and abdominal pain combined with elevated WBC count. Two control groups were composed of patients with intraperitoneal pus and a group of healthy, non-cirrhotic individuals. The LBP levels in serum and ascites were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ascites routine, ascites culture and albumin assay were carried out in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Data between the two groups were compared using the t-test or nonparametric test of independent samples, and the areas under the curve were compared using the Z test. Results The levels of LBP in serum and pus were significantly higher in the intraperitoneal pus group than in the cirrhosis group with ascites (P less than 0.01).

RESULTSThe level of serum LBP was significantly higher in the cirrhosis group with SBP than in the cirrhosis group without SBP but with ascites and the cirrhosis group with no ascites (P less than 0.01). There was no significant difference in the level of ascites LBP in the cirrhosis group with SBP and the cirrhosis group without SBP but with ascites (P more than 0.05). In the clinically suspect cases with SBP, the levels of LBP in serum and ascites were significantly higher than those in the cirrhosis group without SBP but with ascites (228.00 mug/ml vs. 80.95 mug/ml and 22.50 mug/ml vs. 11.45 mug/ml, P less than 0.05). Determination of serum LBP had a higher sensitivity than the determination of ascites LBP or ascites WBC.

CONCLUSIONGram-negative bacteria infection in the intra-abdominal cavity causes serum and body fluid levels of LBP to increase significantly. Patients with cirrhosis complicated with SBP have significantly elevated levels of serum LBP. The serum and ascites LBP levels are significantly elevated in SBP patients with suspected clinical diagnosis. Measurements of both the serum LBP and ascites LBP may have diagnostic value for SBP.

Acute-Phase Proteins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Ascites ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Ascitic Fluid ; chemistry ; Bacterial Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; Carrier Proteins ; blood ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; microbiology ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; blood ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Peritonitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; microbiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of initial C-reactive protein (CRP) as a predictor of clinical outcome and to investigate whether follow-up CRP measurement is useful for the prediction of the clinical outcome of bloodstream infections in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), whose CRP production in response to infection may be attenuated. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study including 202 LC patients with Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia was conducted to assess the usefulness of serial CRP measurements in predicting clinical outcome in LC patients. The CRP ratio was defined as the ratio of the follow-up CRP level to the initial CRP level. RESULTS: The overall 30-day mortality rate of the study population was 23.8% (48/202). In the multivariate analysis, advanced age (> or = 70 years), healthcare-associated or nosocomial infections, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of > or = 30, and initial body temperature of < 37degrees C were significant factors associated with mortality (all p < 0.05). No association between initial CRP level and mortality was found. In a further analysis including 87 evaluable cases who had repeated CRP measurements at day 4 and/or 5, a CRP ratio of > or = 0.7 was found to be a significant factor associated with mortality (odds ratio, 19.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.32 to 276.86; p = 0.043) after adjusting for other confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: Initial CRP level did not predict mortality of sepsis in LC patients. However, serial CRP measurements during the first week of antimicrobial therapy may be useful as a prognostic factor for mortality in LC patients.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use ; Bacteremia/drug therapy/*immunology/microbiology/mortality ; Biological Markers/blood ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy/*immunology/microbiology/mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Klebsiella Infections/drug therapy/*immunology/microbiology/mortality ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/*isolation & purification ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/*immunology/mortality ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Shewanella algae infections are rare in humans. Previously reported cases of S. algae have mainly been associated with direct contact with seawater. We report a case of primary S. algae bacteremia occurring after the ingestion of raw seafood in a patient with liver cirrhosis that presented a fulminent course of necrotizing fasciitis.
Bacteremia/*blood ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing/*microbiology ; Fatal Outcome ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis/physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seafood/microbiology ; Sepsis/*microbiology ; Shewanella/*pathogenicity ; Vibrio/*pathogenicity ; Vibrio Infections/*blood

OBJECTIVE: To understand the prevalence of H.pylori infection in patients with cirrhosis, and liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and to investigate the relationship between H.pylori infection and liver cirrhosis, and liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma in patients. METHODS: Serum anti-H.pylori antibodies IgG (HpIgG) was measured by dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA) in 101 liver cirrhosis and 42 liver cirrhosis with hepatoma patients and alpha-fetopro-tei(AFP)was determined by chemiluminescence. RESULTS: HpIgG seroprevalence was 42.57% (43/101) in the liver cirrhosis patients, and 69.05% (29/42) in the liver cirrhosis with the HCC patients. HpIgG seropositivity in the liver cirrhosis with the HCC patients was higher than in those without HCC. HpIgG seropositivity in the HBV positive patients was higher than in the HBV negative patients (chi2=4.164, P=0.041). HpIgG seropositivity in the AFP abnormal patients was higher than in the AFP normal patients (chi2=4.695, P=0.030). CONCLUSION H.pylori may be a risk factor in patients with cirrhosis and HCC.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; microbiology ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; Helicobacter pylori ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; microbiology ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Young Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of bacterial translocation (BT) in patients with cirrhosis after liver transplantation and analyze the effect of BT on bacterial infection after the surgery.

METHODSMesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), portal vein blood, and peripheral blood were collected during the liver transplantation for microbiological culture from 78 patients with cirrhosis. And meanwhile, all related clinical data were analyzed to investigate the risk factors of BT and its relationship with post-liver transplantation infections.

RESULTSBT was occurred in 8 of 78 cirrhotic patients (10.3%) and positive-rate of MLN culture was 5/8. Gram-negative aerobic bacillus was the main causative bacterium of BT (5/9), followed by Gram-positive aerobic enterococcus (22.2%, 2/9). Total bilirubin level in patients with BT was significantly higher than that in patients without BT.

CONCLUSIONSIt suggests that hyperbilirubinemia is the only risk factor for BT, and BT is associated with an increased infectious rate after liver transplantation.

Adult ; Bacterial Infections ; blood ; etiology ; Bacterial Translocation ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; microbiology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritonitis ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; microbiology ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) infection and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

METHODSChlamydia pneumoniae IgG and IgM were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 41 well-established PBC patients and two race-matched control groups, PHC, n = 70; healthy controls, HC, n =57).

RESULTSThe mean levels and seroprevalence of CP IgG in PBC group and PHC group were significantly higher than in the HC [(46.8 +/- 43.4) RU/ml, (49.5 +/- 45.2) RU/ml vs (28.3 +/- 32.7) RU/ml, P = 0.042 and P < 0.001 respectively; 68.3%, 71.4% vs 42.1%, chi2 values were 5.389 and 11.110 respectively]. There was a markedly elevated seroprevalence of CP IgM in patients with PBC (22.0%) compared with the PHC and HC groups. The odds ratios (ORs) for the presence of CP IgG and IgM for the PBC patients versus the HC were 2.7 (95% CI 0.9 to 6.1) and 5.1 (95% CI 1.4 to 18.5). Though there was no correlation in the level of CP IgG with total IgG in sera of patients with PBC (r=-0.857, p=0.344), CP IgM was related with the abnormally high concentrations of total IgM in the PBC group.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study do not support the hypothesis that infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae may be a triggering agent for PBC, but suggest that Chlamydia pneumoniae infection probably contributes to the high level of IgM presented in most of the patients with PBC

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Chlamydophila Infections ; complications ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; complications ; microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged