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Altered Immunity in Male Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease: Evidence for Defective Immune Regulation
Author(s) -
Smith William I.,
Thiel David H. Van,
Whiteside Teresa,
Janoson Bernard,
Magovern James,
Puet Terry,
Rabin Bruce S.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1980.tb05635.x
Subject(s) - alcoholic liver disease , cirrhosis , antibody , medicine , immune system , liver disease , histopathology , gastroenterology , immunology , immunity , fibrosis , pathogenesis , pathology
We sought evidence for altered immunity in patients with alcoholic liver disease, and we correlated the observed immunologic abnormalities with the extent of histologically proven liver disease. Total circulating lymphocytes and the absolute number of T lymphocytes were decreased in alcoholics (p < 0.01) compared to controls. Immunoglobulins G and A were elevated significantly (p < 0.05) in alcoholic patients with hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis compared to controls and alcoholics without such liver histopathology. In alcoholics with fibrosis or cirrhosis at time of admission, IgE levels were also elevated (p < 0.01) but decreased 50% during hospitalization. Forty‐eight percent of the patients with alcoholic liver disease had antibodies to small bowel epithelium, and 33% had antibodies to fibroblast cytoplasm. In addition, we found that alcoholics immunized with polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide responded with significantly elevated (p < 0.025) antibody titers compared to hospitalized controls. In aggregate, these findings in patients with alcoholic liver disease are consistent with a defect in immune regulation.