Decreased production of active oxygen species by neutrophils in patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following infection is one of the postoperative complications of hepatectomy of cirrhosis. In this study we focused on the anti-microbial activity of neutrophils. We measured production of active oxygen species by neutrophils, and simultaneously examined their nutritional status, immunity and ICG (K-ICG) disappearance ratio. When compared to the controls, the patients with cirrhosis had significantly lower production of O2- upon stimulation by N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP) or opsonic zymosan (OZ). The presence of cancer did not affect results for the groups studied. Overall H2O2 production was lower in cirrhotic patients than in controls. There was a positive correlation between O2- production and K-ICG, which was used to estimate the severity of cirrhosis. Indicators of nutrition and immunity were also lower in cirrhotic patients, but neither of these indicators correlated with the production of active oxygen species. From these results, we concluded that the production of active oxygen species by neutrophils is lower in cirrhotic patients than in controls. Moreover, this decline correlates with the severity of cirrhosis.