Association between intestinal barrier and bacterial translocation in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract

Decompensated liver cirrhosis has various life-threatening complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, and sepsis, and the development of such complications is closely associated with bacterial translocation. Pathological bacterial translocation in patients with liver cirrhosis is caused by the impairment of intestinal barrier function, and thus bacteria can cross the intestinal barrier and enter the mesenteric lymph nodes or other sites. Therefore, a better understanding of the association between intestinal barrier and bacterial translocation in liver cirrhosis can provide new theoretical support for the treatment of liver cirrhosis. This article discusses the four major components of the intestinal barrier, namely the mechanical barrier, the immune barrier, the chemical barrier, and the biological barrier, as well as their changes during bacterial translocation.