Proteinuria in the acute phase of viral hepatitis in children and the influence of HBAg antigen.

In 55 children in the acute phase of viral hepatitis with HB Ag antigenemia, and in 24 without antigenemia, total urinary protein excretion and frequency of excretion of the following serum proteins in urine were studied: alpha1-glycoprotein, haptoglobin, transferrin, A, G and M immunoglobulins, light immunoglobulin chains of the phi and gamma types, and Fc and Fab fragments of immunoglobulin G. The control group consisted of 15 healthy children without HB Ag antigenemia and 8 with antigenemia. The type of proteinuria was determined by electrophoresis of serum proteins excreted in the urine on Cellogen-RS. In children suffering from viral hepatitis the urine contained serum proteins significantly more often than in healthy children. HB ag antigenemia had no influence on the degree or type of proteinuria. In children suffering from viral hepatitis with and without HG Ag antigenemia, proteinuria was of the selectively glomerular type, and less often of mixed glomerulo-tubular type with selective glomerular component. It follows that the HB Ag antigen has np distinctly detrimental effect on the renal glomeruli in the acute phase of viral hepatitis, in which the vascular endothelium of renal glomerular blood vessels is probably injured. Less ofter, in children in the acute phase of viral hepatitis function of the proximal segment of the tubules is damaged with appearance in the proteinogram of Berggard's microglobulins.