Some human "carbohydrate-rich" serum proteins in protein-energy malnutrition.

The human serum proteins with a carbohydrate portion of more than 10 per cent in the molecule, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, alpha1-antichymotrypsin, alpha1B-glycoprotein and alpha2HS-glycoprotein were studied in thirteen cases of protein-energy malnutrition. The "acute phase reactant" proteins alpha1-acid glycoprotein and alpha1-antichymotrypsin were found to be increased above the controls, whereas the other "glycoproteins" either decreased or did not change significantly. Also albumin, prealbumin and transferrin were found to be low in the cases of protein-energy malnutrition.