title: alpha1-Antitrypsin and alpha2-macroglobulin in newborn infants. I. The influence of perinatal complications.
abstract: The levels of alpha1-antitrypsin and alpha2-macroglobulin in the plasma of 129 newborns were determined. The infants were divided into 3 groups according to their perinatal history. In healthy newborns with an uneventful perinatal history the normal values for alpha1-antitrypsin were 1.97 +/- 0.44 g/l, and for alpha2-macroglobulin 3.11 +/- 0.69 g/l. No changes in these levels were found during the first week of life. The levels of alpha1-antitrypsin and alpha2-macroglobulin showed significant correlation to each other. In healthy newborns with different complications in the obstetric history the levels of alpha1-antitrypsin were not influenced, whereas alpha2-macroglobulin decreased slightly during the first week of life. The levels of alpha1-antitrypsin and of alpha2-macroglobulin showed no further correlation to each other. In sick term and preterm newborns (n = 18) alpha1-antitrypsin was increased in 5 of 7 babies suffering from bacterial infections and lowered in 4 of 9 cases with respiratory disturbances. Alpha2-macroglobulin was lowered in 15 babies. These results indicate different kinetics of the two antiproteases in vivo.
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000097:blood; D007234:Infant, Premature; D012016:Reference Values; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000097:blood; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis*; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins