[Behavior of prealbumin, retinol-binding protein, transferrin and haptoglobin in the postoperative and post-traumatic...

The plasma proteins pre-albumin, retinol-binding protein, transferrin, and haptoglobin were determined in 3 different groups of surgical patients (8 patients after inguinal or incisional hernia operation, 12 patients with peritonitis due to insufficient anastomoses, 17 patients with skull-brain injuries) according to the radial immune diffusion method. The decrease in concentration of nutrition-dependent plasma proteins, pre-albumin, retinol-binding protein and transferrin, varied depending on the extent of postoperative or posttraumatic catabolism and respective nutritional regimen. The increase in concentration of the acute phase protein haptoglobin was not significantly dependent on the severity of trauma. There was, however, a further haptoglobin increase of significance due to postoperative peritonitis complication.