SOLUBLE E-CADHERIN CONCENTRATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE SYNDROME AND MULTIORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME

We have assessed the role of the cell-cell adhesion molecule, E-cadher in, in the pathogenesis of multiorgan failure in 24 intensive care pat ients with sepsis and varying degrees of organ dysfunction, compared w ith 21 healthy subjects. Plasma soluble E-cadherin (sE-cadherin) was m easured by enzyme immunoassay. The median concentration of sE-cadherin in normal subjects was 3.21 mu g ml(-1) compared with 6.00 mu g ml(-1 ) in patients with sepsis and organ dysfunction (P = 0.0019). There wa s no statistically significant difference in concentrations of sE-cadh erin in survivors compared with nonsurvivors. Concentrations of sE-cad herin tended to increase with the severity of organ failure. We conclu de that sE-cadherin is increased in inflammation and injury, and may b e related to the degree of multiorgan failure after sepsis.