[Postoperative changes in serum levels of iron, transferrin and ferritin in surgical patients]

The association of serum levels of iron, transferrin and ferritin with surgical trauma has been analyzed in 21 surgical patients. The apparent decline of serum iron concentration was seen in the early stage of postoperative period, which was significantly manifest among the patients with major surgical process, such as pancreatectomy and hepatectomy etc. And there was no relationship between serum levels of iron and volumes of bleeding during operation and/or volumes of blood transfusion. Similarly, serum transferrin concentration decreased. On the other hand, serum ferritin concentration elevated after operation. These factors gradually returned to the preoperative levels with recovery from surgical injury. The transferrin decline in serum concentration was thought to be due to a change as rapid turnover protein. However, the decline of serum iron concentration and the elevation of serum ferritin concentration might be associated with cellular proliferative activity to repair operative injury. These results suggest that the condition of iron metabolism in management of surgical patients should be important.