Related Experiment Videos
[Value of the elastase-alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor complex in pediatric oncologic patients with fever]
Insights
Elastase-alpha1-proteinase inhibitor complex (E-alpha 1-PI) effectively indicates infection in febrile pediatric oncology patients with high neutrophil counts. However, it offers no added diagnostic value during sepsis with leukopenia or agranulocytosis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Oncology
Abstract:
The elastase-alpha1-proteinase inhibitor complex (E-alpha 1-PI) is a well known, sensitive indicator of infection. The significance of this parameter was investigated in 12 febrile paediatric-oncological patients. With neutrophil counts greater than 500/microliters infections caused a definitive increase in E-alpha 1-PI serving as an additional diagnostic parameter. E-alpha 1-PI provided no additional information in situations of sepsis with leukopenia and simultaneous agranulocytosis. In patients with metastatic tumours, the assay of E-alpha 1-PI may differentiate between infection-related and tumour-related serological disturbances.