RT Journal
A1 Hobson KG, DeWing M, Ho HS, Wolfe BM, Cho K, Greenhalgh DG
T1 EXpression of transforming growth factor β1 in patients with and without previous abdominal surgery
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 2003
FD November 1
VO 138
IS 11
SP 1249
OP 1252
DO 10.1001/archsurg.138.11.1249
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.138.11.1249
AB Hypothesis 
    Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) plays an important role in the formation of adhesions after abdominal operations.Design 
    Prospective, observational study.Setting 
    University-based, tertiary referral center.Patients 
    Patients undergoing elective open abdominal operations were recruited and divided into 2 groups. Twenty-two patients with a history of abdominal surgery were designated as study patients, and 10 patients with no history of abdominal surgery served as controls.Interventions 
    Samples of normal peritoneum, peritoneal scar tissues, and serum were obtained from all patients at the time of surgery.Main Outcome Measures 
    Samples were assayed for total TGF-β1 expression using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results 
    Scar tissues expressed significantly greater amounts of TGF-β1 (0.47 pg/µL) compared with normal peritoneal tissue from both study patients (0.29 pg/µL; P = .03) and controls (0.17 pg/µL; P = .002). Serum TGF-β1 levels were also higher in study patients (1.71 pg/µL) compared with controls (1.22 pg/µL; P = .02). Neither adhesion nor serum TGF-β1 expression correlated with time since last operation, total number of previous operations, or severity of intra-abdominal adhesions.Conclusion 
    These results suggest that TGF-β1 may play an important role in human peritoneal adhesion formation.