BACKGROUND: Plasma D(-)-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO) can reflect patients’ intestinal mucosal condition. We evaluated the changes of plasma D(-)-lactate, DAO and endotoxin activities and their significance in patients with liver cirrhosis.
METHODS: Fifty liver cirrhosis patients were enrolled into experimental group and 30 healthy people into control group. The plasma levels of D(-)-lactate, DAO and endotoxin were detected spectrophotographically.
RESULTS: The level of D(-)-lactate was significantly higher in the experimental group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Significant differences of D(-)-lactate levels were observed in Child-Pugh subgroups of the experimental group (P<0.01). The level of DAO was significantly higher in the experimental group than that in the control group (P<0.01), but the level of DAO in Child-Pugh subgroup C was significantly lower than that in Child-Pugh subgroup B (P<0.01). The level of endotoxin was significantly increased in the experimental group except Child-Pugh subgroup A (P<0.01). The plasma levels of D(-)-lactate, DAO and endotoxin were positively correlated with each other (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that both plasma D(-)-lactate and DAO activity are sensitive markers for early diagnosis of gut failure and endotoxemia in patients with liver cirrhosis. The impairment of intestinal barrier function may be one of the critical reasons for deterioration of liver cirrhosis.