title: The concentration of alpha-1-antitrypsin in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in a series of 40 intracranial tumors.
abstract: Forty patients with histologically proved intracranial tumors were submitted to preoperative lumbar and venous punctures. The concentration of alpha-1-antitrypsin in the serum and in cerebrospinal fluid was determined by radial immunodiffusion technique. In the series, both serum and cerebrospinal fluid alpha-1-antitrypsin concentrations are significantly higher than the mean normal values. No statistical differences are observed in serum alpha-1-antitrypsin levels between benign and malignant tumors, but cerebrospinal fluid alpha-1-antitrypsin is significantly increased in the group of malignant tumors if cases undergoing steroid treatment are excluded. The diagnostic value of alpha-1-antitrypsin determinations in groups of patients with intracranial tumors is suggested.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin