Serial serum protein determinations in scoliotic children treated by spine fusion and autotransfusion.

In a longitudinal study, serum protein levels were determined by more than 1200 radial immunodiffusion assays in fifty pediatric scoliotic patients whose blood replacement during spine fusion was provided by predeposition autotransfusion. Several serial samples of serum were obtained at intervals from the time of admission through surgery and discharge and they were examined for eight serum proteins: IgG, IgA, IgM, albumin, transferrin, C3c (B1A globulin), beta-lipoprotein, and alpha2-macroglobulin. The results indicated that neither the three phlebotomies performed to obtain predeposition autologuus blood for reinfusion nor the loss of blood during surgery resulted in significant alteration of any of the serum protein levels at the sampling times tested. The greatest decreases in the serum concentrations of all eight proteins were observed during the early postoperative recovery period.

Free amino acids in plasma throughout pregnancy.

Plasma amino acid analyses on 27 amino acids in serial samples from 15 pregnancies in 14 patients are reported. Variations of amino acid levels with gestational age are reported both for absolute amino acid levels and for levels normalized to total amino acids, with a t test used to determine which amino acids vary significantly. The extent to which individual results differ from the means is indicated. Correlation and regression analyses were done for each amino acid vs. every other amino acid and for each amino acid vs. gestational age. Significant differences were found in amino acid results for plasma from an individual in whom pregnancy resulted in spontaneous abortion.