Attenuated antigen-specific T cell responses in cirrhosis are accompanied by elevated serum interleukin-10 levels and down-regulation of HLA-DR on monocytes

Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Characteristic	Controls (N=14)	Patients with cirrhosis without inflammation (N = 13)	Patients with cirrhosis and inflammation (N = 22)	P value
Years of age – median (range)	39 (22–52)	55 (37–81)	65 (44–82)	<0.001
Male sex – no. (%)	8 (57%)	7 (54%)	14 (64%)	n.s.
Positive Epstein-Barr virus serology – no. (%)	12/14 (85%)	11/11 (100%)	25/25 (100%)	n.s.
LBP serum concentration (μg/ml) – median (range)	14 (7–22)	30 (12–44)	33 (10–50)	0.002
IL-10 serum concentration (pg/ml) – median (range)	4 (3–7)	10 (6–37)	14 (7–51)	<0.001
Alcoholic aetiology of cirrhosis – no. (%)		8 (62%)	15 (68%)	n.s.
Child-Pugh stage A/B/C – no.		6/4/3	2/3/17*	0.005
Child-Pugh score – median (range)		7 (5–13)	10 (6–13)*	0.005
Ascites – no. (%)		5 (38%)	19 (86%)*	0.007
MELD score – median (range)		12 (6–24)	16 (7–33)	n.s
Laboratory values - median (range)
Total serum bilirubin - μmol/l		31 (5–504)	49 (7–324)	n.s
International normalized ratio		1.2 (0.9–2.0)	1.4 (1.1–2.2)*	0.029
Creatinine - μmol/l		76 (50–129)	91 (52–235)	n.s
Aspartate aminotransferase - μmol/l×s		0.78 (0.46–4.16)	1.23 (0.30–3.42)	n.s
Alanine aminotransferase - μmol/l×s		0.77 (0.36–2.68)	0.61 (0.24–1.10)	n.s
White blood cell count – Gpt/l		5.8 (2.4–7.2)	6.6 (3.6–16.8)*	0.034
C-reactive protein – mg/l		4.9 (2.0–10.0)	25.5 (12.6–91.9)*	<0.001
Serum Albumin – g/l		31 (19–40)	27 (17–35)	n.s.

P values in Kruskal-Wallis test or Mann–Whitney U test for continuous data or Fisher’s exact test for discrete data are indicated. * indicates a statistical significant difference between cirrhotic patients with and without elevated C-reactive protein levels.
MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease score, n.s.: not significant (P≥0.05).

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