Measurement of fibronectin concentration in benign and malignant ascites.
Fifty-eight consecutive patients who were admitted to two departments of general surgery with ascites of unknown origin were investigated by measurement of ascitic fluid fibronectin concentration in a prospective study. A fibronectin concentration of 100 ml/l or more was chosen as indicative of malignant disease. In 40 patients with malignant disease, the median fibronectin concentration was 160 mg/l (interquartile range 120-270, range 20-560). In 18 patients with ascites from benign disease the corresponding figures were 40 mg/l (30-70, 20-90) (p less than 0.01). The diagnostic specificity (predictive value of a positive test) was 1.00 (34/34) (95% confidence interval 0.90 to 1.00), while the diagnostic sensitivity (predictive value of a negative test) was 0.75 (18/24) (95% CI 0.53 to 0.90). In this series an ascitic fluid fibronectin concentration of 100 mg/l or more indicated malignant disease, but a lower value did not exclude it. The test should be investigated in combination with another test with high diagnostic sensitivity to optimise its diagnostic value.
Department of General Surgery, Halmstad County Hospital, Sweden.
S
S
Adamsen
P
P
Jönsson
B
B
Brodin
B
B
Lindberg
P
P
Jorpes
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005353:Fibronectins