Bacterial Infections in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis
摘要
Bacterial infections are common and severe complication of liver cirrhosis which is frequently encountered in the emergency department and hospitalized cirrhotic patients. The most frequent infections include spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. Cirrhotic patients are particularly susceptible to bacterial infections because of increased bacterial translocation, possibly related to liver dysfunction and reduced reticuloendothelial function, and iatrogenic factors. In fact, the in-hospital mortality of cirrhotic patients with infections is approximately 15%, more than twice that of patients without infection. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the epidemiology, manifestations, management and prophylaxis of these complications in cirrhotic patients.