title: Plasma levels of fibronectin in patients with chronic viral and alcoholic liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plasma fibronectin levels are reportedly decreased in patients with cirrhosis, while increases are associated with acute and chronic hepatitis. We studied 101 patients with chronic liver disease to determine the relationship between disease etiology and plasma fibronectin levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma fibronectin levels and standard liver function parameters were measured in all patients and 11 healthy controls. Antipyrine metabolism was also evaluated in 39 patients. Results were analyzed according to etiology (HBV, HCV, alcohol abuse) and histological findings (chronic active hepatitis (CAH) with/without fibrosis, steatosis, cirrhosis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fibronectin levels were similar in patients with HBV, HCV and alcohol-related disease. Analysis of the groups based on histological features showed that fibronectin levels in cirrhotics (mean 270.69 microg/ml) were significantly lower than those of the control (mean 372.00 microg/ml) and other patient groups (steatosis: 470.37 microg/ml; CAH: 417.93 microg/ml; CAH and fibrosis: 426.72 microg/ml). Plasma fibronectin displayed a positive correlation with antipyrine metabolism and parameters of hepatic synthesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma fibronectin appears to be an index of hepatic parenchymal function but shows no relation to the etiology of the liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna e Geriatria, Universita Cattolica S. Cuore, Policlinico Universitario A.Gemelli, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matera
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Rocco
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcoccia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giancaterini
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alfei
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Addolorato
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Varlese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000097:blood*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins