Plasma prealbumin concentration in alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZ).

The concentrations of 7 plasma proteins including prealbumin, retinol-binding protein, and alpha 1-antitrypsin were measured by electroimmunoassay in plasma from 19 persons with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency PiZ, 20 persons with phenotype PiMZ, and 26 healthy men with normal alpha 1-antitrypsin content. The prealbumin concentrations in the PiZ individuals were slightly lower than in the other groups. Only one individual in the PiZ group showed very low levels of prealbumin and retinol-bonding protein. Thus contrary to what has been proposed earlier our results show that severe prealbumin deficiency is not a common finding in alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency PiZ.