Clinical use of fibronectin. (Potential applications)

There is considerable experimental evidence that the RES is an important host defense system in critical illness. The role of fibronectin in the control of RES phagocytic function and the potential for fibronectin therapy to ameliorate or reverse multisystem organ failure in critically ill patients are less well documented. This documentation may be difficult to accrue in the clinical setting because of the multifactorial problems of individual critically ill patients and the heterogeneity of underlying diseases in such patients. More work needs to be done in animal models in which these variables can be controlled. Large scale production of pasteurized biologically active fibronectin should be possible if the cryoprecipitate studies prove the clinical utility of fibronectin concentrates. Fibronectin will certainly not be a panacea for critically ill patients, but the addition of any useful substance to the now meager armamentarium would be most welcome.