SERUM ALPHA2-HS-GLYCOPROTEIN LEVELS IN NEONATAL INFECTIONS

The serum concentration of alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein was determined in 15 infected neonates and 21 age-matched controls using the radial immunodiffusion method. The infected neonates had significantly lower serum alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein concentration than the controls (56.9 +/- 15.1 and 105.6 +/- 25.7, respectively; p < 0.001) confirming that it also behaves as a negative acute phase reactant in neonates. No correlation was found between alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein and albumin concentrations. The serum glycoprotein concentration in the control neonates was significantly higher than that of healthy older children and reported values in adult controls. The often reported decrease in the opsonic function of the neonatal serum is therefore unlikely to be explained by decreased alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein levels. However, the relatively higher levels of the glycoprotein observed in this study in neonates may be related to the active bone mineralization taking place in the newborn period.