Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

Development of an experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic rats with or without ascites.

Sánchez E, Such J, Chiva MT, Soriano G, Llovet T, Mercè J, Sancho F, Muñoz C, Song XY, Pérez-Mateo M, Balanzó J, Guarner C

Liver Unit, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Autonomous University, Barcelona, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication of cirrhotic patients associated with a high mortality. AIM: To develop an available experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon-tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis with (N=22) or without (N=101) ascites were randomized to receive an intraperitoneal administration of different concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) diluted in 1 mL of sterile water in ascitic rats and in different volumes in nonascitic rats. A subgroup of nonascitic animals received ceftriaxone 4 h after E. coli inoculation. Mortality of rats was evaluated 24 h after bacterial inoculation. RESULTS: None of the rats receiving sterile water alone and only one infected with 10(7) cfu of E. coli died. Ascitic rats showed a lower mortality rate than nonascitic rats infected with 10(8) or 10(9) cfu of E. coli (P<0.05). Mortality was higher with 10(9) cfu than with 10(8) cfu of E. coli in ascitic (P NS) and nonascitic (P<0.01) rats. A trend was noted to ward higher mortality in nonascitic rats inoculated with 10(8) cfu with increasing water volumes. A marked peritoneal polymorphonuclear cell response was observed 4 h after E. coli injection in both ascitic and nonascitic rats. Antibiotic therapy significantly reduced the mortality rate of rats infected with 10(8) cfu (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis with or without ascites may represent a useful tool for the study of pathogenic events postinfection and for the design of new therapeutic strategies to treat patients with SBP.

Published 28 May 2007 in Am J Gastroenterol, 102(6): 1230-6.
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