RAPID COMMUNICATION

Apoptosis as an Early Event in the Development of Multiple Organ Failure?

J. PACHL, F. DUŠKA, P. WALDAUF, M. FRIC, J. FANTA1, E. ŽĎÁRSKÝ2

Department of Anesthesiology and 1Surgery, 2Institute of Pharmacology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Received May 10, 2005
Accepted May 27, 2005
On-line available April 26, 2005


Summary
We have recently developed a simple method of plasma free DNA detection, which enables us to distinguish between apoptotic and genomic (necrotic) DNA. After applying this method to the critically ill, we revealed apoptotic DNA on the day of admission to be higher than later when multiple-organ failure developed. Moreover, apoptotic DNA contributed to total plasma DNA much more than DNA from necrotic cells and its increase predicted future development of multiple-organ failure and death.


Key words
Multiple-organ failure • Early apoptosis • Apoptic DNA • Plasma free DNA