NEOPTERIN AND SOLUBLE TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR RECEPTOR-TYPE-I IN ALCOHOL-INDUCED CIRRHOSIS

Alcohol-induced cirrhosis (AC) is accompanied by disturbances of immun e function and cytokine production. To better define the pattern of cy tokine synthesis in this disease and to relate it to the immune activa tion state, we measured circulating levels of soluble tumor necrosis f actor receptor p55 (sTNFR-55) and neopterin in a group of 85 patients with AC (classified according to the Child-Pugh score of severity of l iver disease) and 43 healthy volunteers. Serum concentrations of sTNFR -55 and neopterin were significantly raised in patients with AC. Moreo ver, concentrations of sTNFR-55 were significantly higher in patients with more severe disease compared with the group with lower severity. There were significant correlations between sTNFR-55 and neopterin lev els in patients and controls. The results contribute to affirm the exi stence of an immune activation state in AC that could be responsible f or the development of the disease and clinical complications.