Soluble membrane attack complex in ascites in patients with liver cirrhosis without infections

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of cirrhosis patients and controls (means ± SD, or range)

	Patients (n = 46)	Controls (n = 10)	P value
Sex (% men)	65	63	NS
Age (years)	54 ± 9	55 ± 7	NS
Plasma analysis
Leukocyte counts (109 cells/L)	9.9 ± 6.3	ND
CRP (mg/L)	233 ± 183	NR < 10
Albumin (μmol/L)	359 ± 78	641 ± 36	< 0.0001
Creatinine (μmol/L)	81.2 ± 44.6	74.7 ± 11	NS
sMAC (μg/L)	160 (77 - 848)	130 (70 - 204)	0.04
Ascitic fluid analysis
Leukocyte counts (106 cells/L)	130 (0 - 213)	-
Total protein (g/L)	11.9 ± 6.6	-
sMAC (μg/L)	596 (170 - 1519)	-
Liver function
ALT (U/L)	51 ± 75	NR 7 - 56
Bilirubin (µmol/L)	99.4 ± 89.8	11.5 ± 4.9	< 0.0001
ALP (U/L)	312 ± 230	NR 38 - 126
Coagulation time (ratio of expected)	0.44 ± 0.18	1.11 ± 0.15	< 0.0001
INR	1.56 ± 0.35	0.86 ± 0.05	< 0.0001
MELD score	14.1 ± 7.1	0.9 ± 2.3	< 0.0001
Child Pugh score	10.5 ± 1.8	ND
GEC (mmol/min)	1.54 ± 0.4	ND
GEC (ratio of expected)	0.56 ± 0.1	ND

ND: Not determined; NS: Not significant; NR: Normal range; CRP: C-reactive protein; sMAC: Soluble membrane attack complex; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; INR: International normalized ratio for prothrombin time; MELD: Model of end-stage liver disease; GEC: Galactose elimination capacity.