[The role of immune complexes in chronic liver diseases and their dynamics during treatment]

Chronic liver diseases are marked by a well-defined relationship between the intensity of the cytolytic syndrome and the level of circulating immune complexes (CIC). The highest damaging action on hepatocytes is produced by medium-sized CIC because of their penetrating and complement fixing effects. The level of thrombocytopenia and, to a less measure, of leukopenia also depends on the concentration and size of CIC in CAH and liver cirrhosis (LC), which may provide indirect evidence of the lytic action of CIC on hepatocytes, leading in turn to the impairment of microcirculation and aggravation of hepatocyte hypoxia. The data obtained attest to the role CIC of varying size play in the pathogenesis of CAH and LC. The changes in the properties of immune complexes induced by the derangement of cellular membranes also influence the course of immune responses, favouring an increase of antibody formation. As a result of an appreciable suppression of antibody and medium-sized CIC formation enhancing the cytolytic syndrome, the preference during glucocorticoid treatment should be given to the use of the medium doses of prednisolone which ensure less intensity and less duration of cytolysis as compared to the application of large drug doses.