Postoperative plasma interleukin-6 in patients with renal cancer correlates with C-reactive protein but not with total fibrinogen or with high molecular weight fibrinogen fraction

The concentration of fibrinogen (Fb) and its fractions, the levels of interleukin-6 (Il-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were determined in 38 patients operated on because of renal cancer. The increased Fb and Il-6 concentrations were found in approximately one-half of the patients with malignancy. The relations among the high molecular weight (HMW) and two low molecular weight (LMW and LMW') fibrinogen fractions in these patients before surgery did not differ from the corresponding relations in normal subjects. The levels of all (except IgG) compounds studied increased after surgery and the peak of Il-6 was observed on the first postoperative day but that of CRP on the third day. The concentrations of total Fb and of its HMW fraction were the highest also on the third postoperative day and this was in contrast with the decline of low molecular weight fractions at the same time. These variations of estimated variables can be regarded as being relevant to the acute phase response. We have noted a correlation between the maximal concentrations of Il-6 and CRP, but not between the corresponding concentrations of Il-6 and total Fb or HMW Fb; this may suggest that the concentration of Fb is also under the control of a factor other than Il-6. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.