Effect of diuresis on complement C3 and immunoglobulin concentrations in serum and ascitic fluid of patients with post-hepatitic cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

Serum and ascitic fluid samples were taken from twenty nine patients with post-viral hepatitis liver cirrhosis and ascites to estimate the complement C3 concentrations before and after two-week diuresis in comparison to other ten matching normal control subjects. Before treatment, there was a significant decrease in both serum and ascitic complement C3 concentrations in patients with cirrhotic ascites [P <0.05] when compared to controls. Furthermore, after cirrhotic patients received the diuretic therapy, there was significant increase in ascitic fluid complement C3 [P <0.01] but insignificant change in serum C3 [P >0.05]. This study demonstrated that diuresis of patients with cirrhotic ascites increases the concentrations of ascitic fluid C3 component of the complement and hence may protect the patients from spontaneous bacterial peritonitis