Production of C-reactive protein in Escherichia coli-infected patients with liver dysfunction due to liver cirrhosis.
To assess the effect of liver dysfunction on the production of C-reactive protein (CRP), CRP levels were evaluated in patients with Escherichia coli bacteremia with or without liver cirrhosis (LC). Thirty patients of each kind were selected as case and control groups, respectively. A matched control of 30 LC patients without acute infection was also included. In the patients with E. coli bacteremia, median CRP was 6.2 mg/dL (range 0.2-22.1) in the LC patients and 14.6 mg/dL (range 5.8-39.6) in the patients without liver dysfunction (P < 0.001). In the advanced LC patients in Child-Pugh class C, median CRP was 5.0 mg/dL (range 0.2-12.1) in patients with E. coli bacteremia and 0.5 mg/dL (range 0.1-1.2) in patients without acute infection (P < 0.001). Our data suggest that, although CRP levels are reduced in response to acute infection, production is nevertheless maintained even in patients with advanced liver dysfunction.
Park
Wan Beom
WB
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Ki-Deok
KD
Lee
Chang Seop
CS
Jang
Hee Chang
HC
Kim
Hong Bin
HB
Lee
Hyo-Suk
HS
Oh
Myoung-don
MD
Choe
Kang Won
KW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002097:C-Reactive Protein