IMPAIRED SYSTEMIC IMMUNITY AND FREQUENT INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH CANDIDA ANTIGEN AFTER HEPATECTOMY

Background/Aims: Infection after hepatic resection constitutes a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We examined the role of Candida ant igen in systemic immunity and the infectious complications after hepat ectomy. Material and Methods: In 25 hepatectomized patients, the Candi da antigen titers were measured by a latex agglutination. test (CAND-T EC). In. the patients with Candida antigen (n=10; 40%) and those witho ut (n=15; 60%), multiple immunological parameters, including the total lymphocyte count, lymphocyte subpopulations, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response, and natural killer INK) activity, and the incidence of infe ctious complications were compared. Results: In the preoperative and o perative parameters were no significant differences the two groups. In the postoperative immune parameters, a significant attenuation in the total lymphocyte number (p<0.01) and NK activity (p<0.01) was observe d in the patients with Candida antigen, compared with the findings in patients without Candida antigen. A bacterial infection was identified in 5 of 10 patients (50.0%) with Candida antigen, and in 1 of 15 pati ents (6.7%) without Candida antigen (p<0.05). In contrast, the Candida culture was negative for all patients. Conclusions: Both a profound a ttenuation, of systemic immunity and frequent bacterial infections wer e observed in the hepatectomized patients with Candida antigen.