NOD2 gene variants are associated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and increased mortality in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis

Aims: Patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites are prone to develop spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), causing substantial morbidity and mortality in cirrhotic patients. SBP is commonly attributed to bacterial translocation from the intestine due to impaired mucosal barrier function. Recently, mutations in the NOD2 (nucleotide-binding olgimerization domain containing 2) gene have been associated with altered permeability of the intestinal wall in Crohn's disease. Thus, we hypothesized that SBP in liver cirrhosis is associated with common NOD2 gene variants and that carriers of these variants may be at inc…