Opsonic activity of human ascitic fluid: A potentially important protective mechanism against spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
✍ Scribed by Bruce A. Runyon; Richard L. Morrissey; John C. Hoefs; Frederic A. Wyle
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1985
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 403 KB
- Volume
- 5
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0270-9139
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
The opsonic activity of 60 ascitic fluids from 47 patients was measured using a standard opsonophagocytic assay. Curve analysis of the opsonic activity compared to the ascitic fluid concentration of total protein, total hemolytic complement, CS and C, yielded correlation coefficients of 0.84 (p < O.OOl), 0.84 (p < 0.001), 0.94 (p < 0.001) and 0.92 (p < 0.001). respectively.
There appeared to be a threshold of concentration for each protein below which there was no killing of bacteria. Cirrhotic ascites had significantly (all p < 0.001) lower concentrations of total protein and complement and less opsonic activity than noncirrhotic ascites (including malignant, cardiac and miscellaneous types). Perhaps it is the dilution of crucial antimicrobial proteins below a threshold which predisposes to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.