title: Is faecal alpha 1-antitrypsin excretion a reliable screening test for protein-losing enteropathy?
abstract: Estimation of alpha 1-antitrypsin in random faecal samples has been suggested as a reliable index of intestinal protein loss. There was a poor correlation between faecal alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations and simultaneously measured faecal loss of 51Cr-albumin in twenty adults with suspected protein-losing enteropathy. This indicates that faecal alpha 1-antitrypsin estimation may not be a valid screening test for protein-losing enteropathy.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin