title: Macroenzyme detection by polyethylene glycol precipitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of macroenzymes can cause significant diagnostic confusion and their detection can involve relatively cumbersome analytical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a simplified polyethylene glycol precipitation technique and isoenzyme electrophoresis, this report describes the construction of reference ranges of precipitable activity for each of seven commonly measured enzymes in plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proposed reference ranges are reported. Since introducing the protocol, 12 cases of macroenzymaemia have been encountered. Three typical case histories are described in some detail.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The polyethylene glycol precipitation method has thus far proved to be a simple and effective additional test for the detection of macroenzymes when the plasma enzyme activity is elevated.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D002648:Child; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols