Albumin in the Meconium of Infants with Cystic Fibrosis: A Preliminary Report

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Abstract
Meconium samples were collected from 5 newborn infants, who had a known family history of cystic fibrosis of the pancreas but who did not present with meconium ileus, and 11 normal newborn infants. Extracts of the meconium samples were examined for the presence of serum proteins by paper and immunoelectrophoresis. Three of the infants who had a family history of cystic fibrosis of the pancreas showed protein in their meconium, and this was identified by immunoelectrophoresis as consisting mainly of albumin; each of these babies subsequently developed classic symptoms of cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. The two remaining infants had no albumin in the meconium and did not develop signs of cystic fibrosis. None of the meconium samples of the control group of infants contained detectable amounts of albumin. Possible sources of the abnormal protein content of meconium are discussed, and the suggestion that the finding of albumin in meconium of newborn infants may prove to constitute a valuable diagnostic procedure for screening newborn infants for cystic fibrosis of the pancreas is advanced.
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