Serum proteinase inhibitors and other serum proteins in protein-energy malnutrition.

1. The concentrations of serum protein albumin, prealbumin and transferrin were determined in twenty-eight cases of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) with infection, together with the levels of serum proteinase inhibitors (PI), alpha1-antitrypsin (AT), alpha1-antichymotrypsin (Ach), alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M) and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (IalphaI). 2. Albumin, prealbumin and transferrin concentrations, as well as the levels of PI, IalphaI and alpha2M were found to be lower in cases of PEM associated with infection than the corresponding values for a group of healthy Thai preschool children and a group of newborn Thai children, but despite starvation AT and Ach values generally were increased. 3. The results provide support for the hypothesis that PI, especially AT and Ach might limit the synthesis of albumin, prealbumin and transferrin in PEM associated with infection, via the inhibition of the mobilization of body's own protein.