TF and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: But, transferrin (100 ± 41 versus 171 ± 33 mg/dl, P < .0001) and transthyretin (10 ± 4 versus 15 ± 6 mg/dl, P < .01) were lower in the presence of SIRS despite a higher protein intake (6 ± 4.5 versus 3.3 ± 3 g/kg/day, P < .005) (Figure 1).