Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2014 Jun;17(2):57-65. 10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.2.57.

The Effects of Plasma Endotoxin Level on Survival Time of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

• Lee JA
• Yoon HM
• Choi YS
• Yeon JE
• Lee JY

• KMID: 2305290
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.2.57

Abstract

PURPOSE
Since most terminally ill cancer patients die of multiple organ failure, plasma endotoxin concentration levels may be used to predict the life expectancy. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical significance of endotoxin level in plasma as a prognostic factor for survival in patients with terminal cancer.
METHODS
This study was conducted with 56 terminally ill cancer patients, above 20 years old, from April 2009 through October 2009. Demographic characteristics, Karnofsky performance status, and survival time were evaluated. We analyzed blood levels of white blood cell hemoglobin, hematocrit, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, c-reactive protein, total bilirubin and endotoxin in each patient.
RESULTS
We considered following variable for univariate analysis: plasma endotoxin level, sex, age, WBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, AST, ALT, total bilirubin, CRP and severity of pain. Univariate analysis did not show a significant association between plasma endotoxin level and survival time. However, in a multivariate analysis with factors that were found to be significantly associated with survival sex, WBC count and total bilirubin level in univariate analysis, high levels of plasma endotoxin and short survival time were significantly related.
CONCLUSION
Plasma endotoxin level could be used as a prognostic factor to predict the life expectancy of terminally ill cancer patients.

Keyword

Endotoxins; Terminal care; Neoplasm; Prognosis; Hospice care

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Bilirubin
C-Reactive Protein
Endotoxins
Hematocrit
Hospice Care
Humans
Karnofsky Performance Status
Leukocytes
Life Expectancy
Multiple Organ Failure
Multivariate Analysis
Plasma*
Prognosis
Terminal Care
Terminally Ill*
Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
Bilirubin
C-Reactive Protein
Endotoxins