Carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme determination: An aid to the diagnosis of "small-for-date" infants.
A specific and quantitative immunological method for the determination of human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes B and C has been used to determine these enzymes in erythrocytes of umbilical cord blood. The investigations have shown a content of both isoenzymes less than a tenth of that in adults. The isoenzyme content correlated significantly with the estimated gestational age. The ratio between isoenzyme B and C rose with gestational age, reaching adult level at term. A group of 19 "small-for-date" infants had isoenzyme levels in the same range as normal full-term infants, significantly higher than the levels in the same range as normal full-term infants, significantly higher than the levels in truly premature infants. It is concluded that the determination of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes is an aid in distinguishing "small-for-date" infants from the truly premature.
D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases