[Plasma clearance of alpha 1-antitrypsin. A simple method for the study of intestinal protein loss]

We tried to evaluate the value of the alpha-1-antitrypsin clearance in order to search for the protein loss through the digestive tract. Twenty-two patients were studied, 11 with protein losing enteropathy and 11 normal controls. Alpha-1-antitrypsin concentration was determined in serum and feces to obtain the clearance of such protein. The values were always abnormal in patients with protein losing enteropathy, and normal in control patients. We consider this method simple and safe for the evaluation of intestinal protein loss, besides having the advantage of not using radioactive material.