Plasma endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the hyperkinetic state of cirrhosis

The factors which trigger the hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis remain poorly defined. Plasma levels of the potent vasodilators endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha may be elevated in patients with cirrhosis, and therefore the potential role of these substance was assessed in the hyperkinetic circulation in cirrhosis.

Forty-nine patients in stable condition underwent systemic and hepatic hemodynamic measurements, and right atrial blood sampling for endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha assays. Patients were divided into three groups according to the severity of the disease: group 1 consisted of eight patients with normal liver or mild hepatic fibrosis, and groups 2 and 3 contained 17 and 24 patients with Child A and Child B or C cirrhosis, respectively.

Systemic vascular resistance decreased and cardiac index increased from group 1 to 3: 1530 +/- 196 dyn.s.cm-5 to 990 +/- 72 dyn.s.cm-5 (mean +/- S.E.; p<0.05) and 3.1 +/- 0.3 l.min-1.m-2 to 4.2 +/- 0.2 l.min-2.m-2, respectively. Endotoxin was not detectable in any of the groups and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was increased in one patient from group 1, six from group 2 and six from group 3. Mean tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were not different among the groups (10 +/- 5, 18 +/- 5 and 17 +/- 7 pg/ml in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Systemic vascular resistance and cardiac index were not correlated to plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels; patients with increased levels of this cytokine did not have worse hyperdynamic circulation in any of the groups.

These results suggest that tumor necrosis factor-alpha and endotoxin do not play a role in the maintenance of the hyperkinetic state of cirrhosis.