The "post-heparin pattern" in routine serum protein immunoelectrophoresis.

For some time following intravenous administration of heparin to non-fasting normal subjects, routine immunoelectrophoretic preparations show characteristic changes in serum lipoproteins. These alterations are of two types: (1) marked anodal mobility increase, the alpha-2 (beta) component locating in the alpha-1 region while the alpha-1 appears as a pre-albumin; (2) conformational alterations of the immunoprecipitin arcs comprising elongation of the alpha-2 (beta) arc, and splitting of the alpha-1 arc into two distinct entities. Familiarity with these patterns should minimize the possibility of interpretative errors with specimens from patients receiving heparin.