Alpha 1-acid glycoprotein in the neonate with and without infection

In a study of early neonatal infection, 278 babies had a blood culture and an alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AGP) determination. There were significant differences between the mean (+/- SEM) levels of alpha 1-AGP in infants who were noninfected (26 +/- 1.3 mg/dl, n = 244), infected (81 +/- 11 mg/dl, n = 12) and proved to have sepsis (66 +/- 10 mg/dl, n = 22). In the 'noninfected' group, alpha 1-AGP levels increased with postnatal age. Increasing levels were seen on the 1st day with both increasing gestational age (15-34 mg/dl from less than 30 to greater than or equal to 38 weeks) and birth weight (17-42 mg/dl from less than 1,000 to greater than or equal to 4,000 g), irrespective of the infant's sex. Among the sepsis group, infants who died had lower levels than those who survived (19 mg/dl vs. 90 mg/dl).