Patients with stable uncomplicated cirrhosis have normal neutrophil function

Abstract

These were unexpected findings in the light of data published elsewhere, which indicate impaired neutrophil function in patients with cirrhosis. The study suggests that patients with stable, uncomplicated cirrhosis and patients with EPH have normal neutrophil function.

The severity of circulating neutrophil dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis is associated with 90‐day and 1‐year mortality

“…Other groups have reported NPA to be normal or even increased in cirrhosis, a discrepancy likely to be explained by the use of rodent models with differing experimental techniques to measure neutrophil function. Paradoxically, our data suggest active alcohol consumers have higher levels of NPA than abstinent patients with comparable severity of liver disease, which may be explained by enhanced neutrophil priming resulting from increased bacterial translocation as a consequence of increased alcohol‐induced gut permeability …”

Evidence of neutrophil functional defect despite inflammation in stable cirrhosis

“…Neutrophil phagocytic capacity in the setting of liver cirrhosis has been reported as being normal in some studies [3] or even higher than normal in others [18,19]. A possible explanation of this apparent discrepancy is the wide variability of the experimental models used, either in animals or in human subjects.…”

“…Neutrophils are an essential component of the innate immune response and key players in the protection against bacterial infection. Although neutrophil function in cirrhotic patients has been described in a number of previous studies, the interpretation of the data is difficult because of associated concomitant illnesses, such as superimposed alcoholic hepatitis, infection, precipitating illnesses, and treatments [3,4]. The presence of neutrophil dysfunction, characterized by high resting oxidative burst and reduced phagocytic capacity, has been demonstrated in advanced decompensated cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis, which are associated with increased risk of infection and mortality [4].…”

Interleukin-8 Is Activated in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases and Associated with Hepatic Macrophage Accumulation in Human Liver Fibrosis

“…Yet, the contribution of neutrophils to chronic liver damage is less clear. For instance, it is controversial whether neutrophils are functionally intact or dysfunctional in patients with established cirrhosis [11], [12], [13], [14].…”