Evidence for down-regulation of beta-2-adreno-ceptors in cirrhotic patients with severe ascites

The density and affinity of beta-2-adrenoceptors on mononuclear
cells from peripheral blood were studied in fifteen patients with
cirrhosis of different severity and in thirteen controls. There was
no significant difference between cirrhotic patients and controls
in density or affinity of beta-2 binding sites. Within the
cirrhotic group, however, the number of binding sites per cell was
significantly lower in patients with severe ascites than in
patients with mild to moderate or no ascites. This down-regulation
of beta-adrenoceptors could influence the haemodynamic response to
beta-blockers.