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In vitro steroid resistance correlates with outcome in severe alcoholic hepatitis
Author(s) -
di Mambro A.J.,
Parker R.,
McCune A.,
Gordon F.,
Dayan C.M.,
Collins P.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.24159
Subject(s) - medicine , prednisolone , basiliximab , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , dexamethasone , steroid , endocrinology , in vitro , pharmacology , gastroenterology , immunology , biology , hormone , transplantation , tacrolimus , biochemistry
Abstract Steroids improve the outcome in alcoholic hepatitis (AH), but up to 40% of patients fail to respond adequately. Interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) exacerbates steroid resistance in vitro . We performed a prospective study to determine if intrinsic steroid sensitivity correlates with response to steroids in individuals with severe AH and if IL‐2 receptor blockade can reverse this. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 20 patients with AH and a Maddrey's score >32. Patients were treated with oral prednisolone plus full supportive measures. Clinical resistance to oral steroid treatment was defined as a drop in serum bilirubin of <25% within 7 days or death within 6 months. In vitro steroid resistance was measured in PBMC using the dexamethasone suppression of lymphocyte proliferation assay and repeated after the addition of the anti‐IL‐2 receptor (anti‐CD25) monoclonal antibody, basiliximab. Suppression of lymphocyte proliferation <60% was considered to indicate steroid resistance. In all, 82% (9/11) of in vitro steroid‐resistant patients were dead at 6 months as compared to 21% (2/9) of steroid‐sensitive patients ( P = 0.03). Similarly, 91% (10/11) of in vitro steroid‐resistant patients failed to show a significant fall in bilirubin at day 7 as compared to 44% (4/9) of steroid‐sensitive patients ( P < 0.05). Basiliximab improved the maximal proliferation count in 91% (10/11) of in vitro steroid‐resistant patients ( P = 0.003). Conclusion: Clinical outcome of steroid therapy in this patient cohort correlated with in vitro steroid resistance. IL‐2 blockade improved in vitro steroid sensitivity. This suggests that intrinsic lack of steroid sensitivity may contribute to poor clinical response to steroids in severe AH. IL‐2 receptor blockade represents a possible mechanism to overcome this. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)