α1-Acid Glycoprotein in the Neonate with and without Infection

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Abstract
In a study of early neonatal infection, 278 babies had a blood culture and an α1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AGP) determination. There were significant differences between the mean (± SEM) levels of α1-AGP in infants who were noninfected (26 ± 1.3 mg/dl, n = 244), infected (81 ± 11 mg/dl, n = 12) and proved to have sepsis (66 ± 10 mg/dl, n = 22). In the ‘noninfected’ group, α1-AGP levels increased with postnatal age. Increasing levels were seen on the 1st day with both increasing gestational age (15–34 mg/dl from < 30 to ≥ 38 weeks) and birth weight (17–42 mg/dl from < 1,000 to ≥ 4,000 g), irrespective of the infant’s sex. Among the sepsis group, infants who died had lower levels than those who survived (19 mg/dl vs. 90 mg/dl).