• DOI:10.1042/BST0310774
• Corpus ID: 32598498

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) serum levels and post-operative infections.

@article{Siassi2003MannanbindingL,
  title={Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) serum levels and post-operative infections.},
  author={Michael Siassi and Werner M Hohenberger and Jutta Riese},
  journal={Biochemical Society transactions},
  year={2003},
  volume={31 Pt 4},
  pages={
          774-5
        }
}

• M. Siassi, W. Hohenberger, J. Riese
• Published 1 August 2003
• Medicine
• Biochemical Society transactions

Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a central component of the innate immune system. Here we investigated the role of MBL in surgical patients during the peri-operative phase. Basal and post-operative (days 1-3 post-surgery) serum samples were obtained prospectively from 156 patients undergoing major elective gastrointestinal surgery for malignant disease. In contrast to procalcitonin (a typical acute-phase protein), there was no significant difference in serum MBL between pre- and post-operative samples (P=0.62). Nevertheless, patients who developed post-operative infections showed significantly lower pre- and post-operative MBL levels than those who did not (P=0.013 and P=0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference in pre-operative procalcitonin between the two groups (P=0.56). We conclude (i) that serum MBL levels did not respond immediately to surgical trauma, and (ii) that lower MBL levels were associated with an increased occurrence of post-operative infections. Studies on larger patient groups are necessary, however, to assess the value of MBL measurements in identifying patients at risk of post-operative complications.