Prealbumin, prekallikrein and prothrombin in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis: increased turnover of the clotting proteins?
Manoukian, N.; Borges, D.R.
Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo 26(5): 237-240
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-4665 PMID: 6570691 Document Number: 238561
Prealbumin, prekallikrein and prothrombin were evaluated in 20 patients with the hepatosplenic form of schistosomiasis and in 18 subjects of a control group. With the prealbumin concentration values obtained in the latter group a reference interval (0.5-99.5%) of 97 to 389 mg/l was calculated and plasma levels below 97 mg/l assessed in 2 patients a deficiency in hepatic synthetic capacity. Mean (.+-. SE) prealbumin concentration in the 18 remaining patients (232 .+-. 13 mg/l) did not differ (P > 0.05) from that of the control group (243 .+-. 11 mg/l. Otherwise these 18 patients had both mean plasma prekallikrein (34 .+-. 1.3 .mu.Kat/l) and prothrombin-antigen (81 .+-. 3 mg/l) concentrations lower (P < 0.01) than those of the control group (40 .+-. 1.4 .mu.Kat/l and 100 .+-. 3 mg/l, respectively). The present findings do not necessarily rule out the possibility that prekallikrein and prothrombin may assess a minimal hepato cellular damage earlier than prealbumin; but, since the latter protein have a shorter half-life than the former and is a reliable index of hepatic synthetic capacity, the present report supports the hypothesis of an increased turnover of clotting proteins in some patients with the hepatosplenic form of schistosomiasis.