Reduced albumin binding of MADDS--a measure for bilirubin binding--in sick children.

The reserve albumin concentration for binding of MADDS (monoacetyldiaminodiphenyl sulphone) in plasma is used as a measure of the reserve albumin concentration for binding of unconjugated bilirubin. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a reduction in the reserve albumin concentration for binding of MADDS could exist in sick children after 5 months of age, where the bilirubin binding properties of the albumin has reached the adult level. The material included 75 children, 1-15 years of age with mild infections, severe bacterial infections, acute viral hepatitis, chronic hepatic diseases or uraemia, and a control group of 22 healthy children. The reserve albumin concentration was significantly lower in children with severe bacterial infections, acute viral hepatitis, and uraemia, than in healthy children (p less than 0.01), while the reserve albumin concentration in children with mild infections and chronic hepatic diseases did not differ significantly from that of the control group (p greater than 0.05). The total albumin concentration in plasma in either of the groups of sick children did not differ significantly from that of the healthy children. The plasma concentration of unconjugated bilirubin was elevated in the group of children with acute viral hepatitis, but not enough to influence the concentration of reserve albumin for binding of MADDS to a significant degree. The reserve albumin concentration was significantly lower in children with acute viral hepatitis than in children with severe bacterial infections (p less than 0.05).