Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin in infants and children with wheezy chest

ABSTRACT

Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin [alpha 1-AT] was measured in 45 cases with wheezy chest [20 children with atopic bronchial asthma, 15 children with wheezy chest without personal or family history of atopy and 10 infants with manifestation of bronchiolitis], and 25 normal cases [15 normal children and 10 normal infants]. Results showed significant decrease in serum alpha 1-AT level in patients with atopic bronchial asthma [270 +/- 46.5 mg/dl] compared to normal control [315 +/- 35.5 mg/dl]. In this group of patients the study showed that the decrease of alpha 1-AT was marked in those patients with obstructive ventilatory dysfunction and the use of alpha 1-AT in the treatment of such cases may moderate the condition. On the contrary the mean level of alpha 1-AT was significantly high in wheezy chest with infection [non-atopic] [390 +/- 72.2 mg/dl]. In bronchiolitis the mean serum level of alpha 1-AT [251 +/- 45.8 mg/dl] was significantly decreased as compared to normal infants [309 +/- 61.7 mg/dl]