VASCULAR-PERMEABILITY FACTOR IN ASCITES FROM PATIENTS WITH SPONTANEOUS BACTERIAL PERITONITIS

Ascites and serum levels of vascular permeability factor (VPF) were me asured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 30 patients with liver cirrhosis (19 had uninfected ascites and 11 had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP)) and in 15 patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Patients with SEP and peritoneal carcinomatosis had significantly high er ascites VPF levels than cirrhotic patients without SEP, whereas the serum levels did not differ between cirrhotic patients with and those without SEP. A paired analysis showed lower ascites VPF levels compar ed to the serum levels in cirrhotic patients without SEP and conversel y, the levels were higher in patients with SEP. A longitudinal study r evealed a marked increase in ascites VPF levels during the occurrence of SEP, which declined after successful treatment. Ascites VPF levels were found to correlate significantly with conventional markers of exu dative effusions. These findings indicate that ascites VPF may be usef ul clinically as a marker of SEP. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Lt d. All rights reserved.