Clearance fecal de alfa-1-antitripsina en enteropatías perdedoras de proteínas en pediatría. / [Fecal alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance in protein-losing enteropathies in pediatrics]

ABSTRACT

Fecal alpha-1-antitrypsin clearance (A-1-At Cl) was performed on 47 pediatric age patients with various digestive diseases 6 with ulcerative colitis, 5 with celiac disease, 6 with cow milk protein intolerance, 1 with intestinal lymphangiectasia, 1 with non specific diarrhea and the control group was composed of 10 children without digestive disease. The group of patients with digestive disease showed values of fecal A-1-At Cl significantly higher than the control and non specific diarrhea groups (p less than 0.05). Just 1 child with cow milk intolerance had A-1-At Cl within the range of values of the control group x = 2 S.D. All children with non specific diarrhea excepting one had values falling within the control range. The patient with thalassemia major had a very elevated value of A-1-At Cl. The cause of this finding remains unknown at present. The fecal A-1-At Cl. is a non invasive, cost saving, useful and simpler method than the traditional techniques for the diagnosis of protein losing enteropathy in childhood.