Reduced post-operative neutrophil activation in liver transplant recipients suffering from post-hepatitic cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND
It has been supposed that liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus infection have a higher incidence of infectious complications after transplantation. This study was designed to investigate whether neutrophil function is immediately affected by liver transplantation.


METHODS
Biochemical values, plasma levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), hydrogen peroxide production of neutrophils and neutrophil-platelet complexes were analyzed in 32 patients who underwent liver transplantation and 20 healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
MPO levels were significantly increased 24 h after reperfusion. In post-hepatitic patients levels were significantly lower three d up to one wk post-transplant than in patients due to other liver diseases. One wk post-operatively the respiratory burst activity following N-formyl-methionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP) or (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) TNF-alpha/fMLP stimulation was depressed in post-hepatitic recipients. Respiratory burst stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in these patients was increased one wk after transplantation. One d after transplantation the neutrophil-platelet complexes decreased significantly throughout the post-operative period.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest a reduced post-operative neutrophil activation in liver transplant recipients suffering from post-hepatitic cirrhosis compared to cirrhosis due to other causes. We hypothesized that neutrophil dysfunction in those patients depends on the underlying disease with an increased susceptibility to bacterial or fungal infections.
Jüttner
Björn
B
Departments of Anesthesiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. juettner.bjoern@mh-hannover.de
Younes
Alan
A
Weissig
Annette
A
Ahrens
Jörg
J
Becker
Thomas
T
Scheinichen
Dirk
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000097:blood; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D009195:Peroxidase