Assessment of the reliability of plasma electrophoresis in birds

To determine the reliability of plasma electrophoresis (EPH) in psittacine birds.

93 psittacine birds.

Jugular venipuncture was performed on 93 awake psittacine birds. The plasma was centrifuged, separated, aliquoted into duplicate samples, frozen, and sent to 2 commercial laboratories that routinely perform avian EPH. Samples from 51 birds were sent to laboratory A, and samples from 42 birds were sent to laboratory B. The reliability of EPH results within each laboratory was assessed, but not between laboratories. To determine the reliability (agreement between duplicate samples) of total protein, albumin, prealbumin, alpha1-, alpha2-, beta-, and gamma-globulin concentrations, the intraclass correlation coefficient (r(i)) was calculated.

Both laboratories had excellent agreement between samples for measurement of total protein concentration and only good agreement for albumin concentration. Except for the prealbumin concentration measured at laboratory B, both laboratories had poor agreement for all other values of the EPH.

These data indicate that plasma EPH for measuring prealbumin, alpha1-, alpha2-, beta-, and gamma-globulin concentrations may not be a reliable tool for assessing avian health. Small amounts of these proteins in birds plus human variation in reading the EPH curves may lead to variable results. Avian veterinarians should cautiously interpret results from plasma EPH assays for these protein fractions.