title: Presence of plasma endotoxin is correlated with tumour necrosis factor receptor levels and disease activity in alcoholic cirrhosis.
abstract: Cytokines and plasma endotoxin were measured in a consecutive series of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (AC). Endotoxaemia was found to be strongly correlated to increased plasma levels of functionally active tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors -p55 and -p75, TNF-alpha and the Child-Pugh stage of the disease. Our data support the hypothesis of the pathogenic role of lipopolysaccharide in hepatocellular damage of patients with AC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology), University Hospital of Heidelberg at Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossol
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Böcker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokus
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha