[Myelin basic protein level in serum of patients with chronic cor pulmonale in acute phase]

With a sensitive enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay that can detect as little as 0.5ng/ml of myelin basic protein (MBP), we studied serum specimens from 34 patients with chronic cor pulmonale (CP) and 33 patients with chronic bronchitis (CB) during acute attack in hospital and 30 control subjects. The results showed that the serum mean MBP level of CP patients was markedly higher than those of CB patients and controls (P < 0.01), but no statistically significant differences were found between CB patients and controls (P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between elevated levels of serum MBP and carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2). This suggested that elevated serum MBP levels may be associated with brain destruction by hypercapnia and hypoxia of CP patients.