Effect of packed red blood cells transfusion on plasma fibronectin during liver resection

Our study aimed at evaluating the effect of blood transfusion - allogeneic or autologous - on plasma levels of fibronectin during liver resections. Thirty-five patients scheduled for liver resection were randomly allocated to receive autologous (group autologous blood transfusion (ABT), n= 19) or allogeneic (homologous) (homologous blood transfusion (HBT), n= 16) packed red blood cell to maintain serum haemoglobin concentration above 9 g. Serum levels of fibronectin were measured before induction of anaesthesia, at the end of operation and at first, third and sixth postoperative day. Perioperative morbidity and survival rate were also recorded. Serum fibronectin levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the autologous group than in the allogeneic, at the first (134 +/- 49 microg mL(-1) vs. 89 +/- 31 microg mL(-1)) and third (178 +/- 51 microg mL(-1) vs. 96 +/- 41 microg mL(-1)) postoperative day. No differences in survival and complication rate between the two groups were observed. Concentrations of serum fibronectin seem to be adversely affected by allogeneic blood transfusion during liver resection surgery, although this does not seem to affect patients' morbidity and mortality.