Occurrence of fibronectin-fibrin complexes in plasma of patients with multimorbidity due to the inflamm-aging phenomenon.

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity is the co-occurrence of chronic diseases associated with low-grade chronic inflammation of connective tissue.

AIM OF STUDY

Frequency of occurrence and relative amounts of fibronectin (FN) complexes with fibrin (FN-fibrin) and FN monomer were analyzed in 130 plasma samples of 18 to 94-year-old multimorbid patients in relation to concentrations of FN and extra domain A (EDA)-FN, and C-reactive protein (CRP) as well as to age, number of coexisting chronic diseases and presence of specified diseases.

RESULTS

Immunoblotting revealed, besides FN dimer, the presence of FN monomer, and 750-, 1000-, and 1300-kDa FN-fibrin complexes in the multimorbid plasmas. The FN-fibrin complexes appeared more frequently and in higher relative amounts, but FN monomer less frequently and in a lower relative amount in the groups of elderly multimorbid patients, with a higher number of coexisting diseases and with dominance of cardiovascular diseases and osteoarthrosis, and with CRP concentration of 3-5mg/l. In contrast, the normal plasma contained only the FN-fibrin complex of 750 kDa in a lower relative amount, but with an increasing amount with normal aging. Moreover, FN concentration increased and EDA-FN decreased with the number of co-existing diseases and aging of patients, although both concentration values were lower than in the age-matched normal groups. FN concentration was the lowest in the exacerbation of a chronic disease and EDA-FN in the stable chronic disease groups.

CONCLUSION

The alterations in plasma FN molecular status were associated with micro-inflammation and micro-coagulation, as well as multimorbidity of subjects and their physiological aging.