[Experimental investigations on the proportional inhibitory capacity of different proteinase inhibitors in cases of chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma (author's transl)].

Among the three investigated proteinase inhibitors alpha-1-antitrypsin ("acute phase protein") possesses the highest antiproteolytic capacity. Alpha-2-macroglobulin reaches as an average one fifth of the preoperative level of alpha-1-antitrypsin and postoperatively one quater of this inhibitor level. The average concentrations of the low molecular acid stable proteinase inhibitor of the mucous membrane in the preoperative phase are about equivalent to the concentrations of alpha-2-macroglobulin. In the postoperative phase the concentrations of the low molecular acid stable inhibitor are a slightly lower than those of alpha-2-macroglobulin. The samples of the middle ear secretions from cases with chronic otitis media or with cholesteatoma do not differ essentially in their concentrations of the different proteinase inhibitors.