LEVELS OF SOLUBLE INTERCELLULAR-ADHESION MOLECULE-1, EICOSANOIDS AND CYTOKINES IN ASCITES OF PATIENTS WITH LIVER-CIRRHOSIS, PERITONEAL CANCER AND SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS

The levels of the eicosanoids leukotriene B-4, prostaglandin E(2), pro stacycline and thromboxane B-2, the cytokines interleukin-1 beta, inte rleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha and soluble intercellular a dhesion molecule I were measured in ascites and plasma samples of pati ents with liver cirrhosis (53), peritoneal cancer (26) and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (10) to assess their value as a possible diagno stic and prognostic parameter in the course of the disease. Soluble in tercellular adhesion molecule 1, of the eicosanoids prostaglandin E(2) and leukotriene B-4, and the protein concentration in ascites were al l significantly elevated in ascites of patients with peritoneal cancer in comparison to ascites of patients with liver cirrhosis. In ascites of patients with spontaneous bacterial infection interleukin-6 concen tration was significantly elevated and the protein concentration was s ignificantly lower in comparison to the other two groups. None of thes e parameter;, however, seems to be of practical use as a diagnostic pa rameter, as there is an overlap between all the levels of these mediat ors in ascites of liver cirrhosis, peritoneal cancer and spontaneous b acterial peritonitis group. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 levels were much higher in plasma than in ascites, in contrast to inte rleukin-6 levels which were much higher in ascites than in plasma. Sol uble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in ascites correlated with solu ble intercellular adhesion molecule I in plasma (r = 0.6926, P = 0.000 1). Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1, interleukin-6 and the n umber of polymorphonuclear cells in peritoneal fluid correlated during episodes of infection in patients with a peritonitis. For this reason soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and interleukin-6 could be of prognostic value for patients with peritonitis.