Serum total protein profile in children under 5 years age at women and children hospital, Abbottabad

ABSTRACT

A study of serum protein profile was done in 324 infants/children suffering from meningitis, pneumonia, enteric fever, diarrhoeal diseases, gastro - enteritis, malaria, septicaemia, rheumatic fever, cirrhosis, tetanus and leishmaniasis. Pneumonia and meningitis were the common diseases in the study. Hypoproteinaemia was found in only 4% of the patient of diarrhoeal diseases while hypoalbuminaemia occurred in all cases of septicaemia and cirrhosis. Alpha-I globulin was raised in 56% of meningitis, 60% cases of rheumatic fever, 20% of the enteritis fever and all of the septicaemia cases. It was markedly less in cirrhosis. Alpha-2 globulin was high in 85% of meningitis, 64% of pneumonia, 41% enteric fever, 38% of diarrhoeal diseases, 8% of gastro-enteritis and all of septicaemia, rheumatic fever and leishmaniasis. Beta globulin fraction was increased in rheumatic fever and cirrhosis only. Marked hypergammaglobulinaemia was found in septicaemia and cirrhosis. Hypogammaglobulinaemia was detected in 62 [19%] patients. Bisalbuminaemia, a genetic abnormality was seen in only one case. Alpha-2 globulin was raised in 7[8.5%] while Hypogammaglobulineemia was found in 4[4.9%]. Serum protein and its fraction determination is a valuable diagnostic aid for infections and some genetic abnormalities