Abstract
Forty patients with acute calculous cholangitis had successful endoscopic drainage. Bile from nasobiliary drains and venous blood was collected at 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after endoscopy. Endotoxin levels were measured by the chromogenic Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate assay. There was a significant reduction in both bile and serum endotoxin levels after endoscopic drainage (P<0.001). Endotoxaemia occurred when bile endotoxin reached 103 EU/ml and rose exponentially beyond this threshold. Significant association was demonstrated between both bile and serum endotoxins to the clinical features of cholangitis (P < 0.05). No correlation was evident between serum endotoxin and the parameters of white cell count, serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase (r=0.53, 0.00 and 0.00 respectively). Endoscopic drainage is effective in lowering bile and serum endotoxin levels and clinical signs and symptoms reliably predict endotoxaemia.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 181-184 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | British Journal of Surgery |
Volume | 83 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1996 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery