Decreased gelatin-binding fibronectin in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

The plasma fibronectin concentration (PF) was measured in 48 patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CIBD) and in 48 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, using electroimmunoassay and a functional (gelatin-binding) assay. Whereas no difference in immunochemically measured PF was found between the two groups, patients with CIBD had significantly lower gelatin-binding PF than healthy controls (p less than 0.001). Immunochemically measured PF increased, whereas functionally measured PF tended to decrease with increasing disease activity.