[Plasma fibronectin in surgical patients].

Plasma fibronectin (PFN) was measured to clarify the role in patients who underwent major surgery. There was no statistical difference between male and female, benign and malignant disease, or more than 60 years old and less. Compared to the preoperative values of PFN, the postoperative ones showed significant decrease immediately after operation, this decrease was attributed to massive bleeding and prolonged surgical procedure. In contrast to the previous papers reporting as an opsonin, no such results were obtained. However, there was close relationship between PFN and antithrombin III, alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor, factor XIII, retinol binding protein and transferrin, which represent hemostasis, fibrinolytic system and nutritional status, respectively. To determine whether PFN acts as an opsonin, heparin (opsonin cofactor) was given to Wistar rats in various conditions. There was no significant difference between PFN in those rats and in controls. These results indicate that postoperative PFN is a good parameter of glycoprotein in hemostasis, fibrinolytic system, and rapid turnover protein, not of an opsonin.