title: Decreased serum alpha-amylase levels in infected Nigerian newborn infants.
abstract: Serum alpha-amylase activity was determined in 41 newborn infants with proven bacterial infections and compared to values obtained in 18 healthy control neonates. In the infected neonates serum alpha-amylase value, as determined by the blue starch method, was only 40% that of healthy controls; the mean value of 175.1 +/- 64.9 IU/l for healthy neonates was significantly higher (p less than 0.0010) than the value of 82.8 +/- 44.4 IU/l for the infected neonates. Alpha-amylase levels did not correlate with severity of infections or mortality. The sensitivity and specificity of serum alpha-amylase level of 100 IU/l were 75.6 and 94.7%; the positive and negative predictive values were 91.2 and 84.4%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Okolo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okorodudu
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Glew
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Omene
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases