title: [Significance of changes in plasma bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein levels in patients with severe surgical infection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate changes in endogenous bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) levels and their significance in patients with surgical sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the prospective study, 19 surgical patients with infection were involved. The plasma BPI, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and interleukin-6 levels were measured on post-infected days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma endotoxin concentrations were determined by the modified chromogenic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal controls, significant lower plasma BPI/LBP ratios were observed in septic patients on days 1 to 5 after infection (P < 0.01), and in severe septic patients on days 1 to 7 (P < 0.01). Moreover, plasma BPI/LBP ratios were much lower in severe sepsis than those in sepsis on days 1 to 3 after infection (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma BPI and LBP levels increased rapidly after infection, but BPI/LBP ratios were significantly decreased during sepsis. Plasma BPI/LBP ratios appear to be closely related to the severity of sepsis in patients complicated by surgical infection.
authors.affiliation: Burns Institute, First Hospital Affiliated to the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China.
authors.forename: Li-tian
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jia-qi
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*; D000099231:Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D000099231:Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein; C021623:bactericidal permeability increasing protein