THE PLASMA PROTEINS IN RELATION TO BLOOD HYDRATION. VI. SERUM PROTEINS IN NEPHRITIC EDEMA

Abstract

The total proteins of the serum were determined 179 times in 21 patients with nephrosis or nephrotic types of nephritis. On 118 occasions in 15 patients albumin and globulin fractions were determined separately. Results indicate that reduction of serum proteins at the expense of albumin fraction is not characteristic of idiopathic nephrosis, but is equally common in other types of nephritis with non-cardiac edema. When the proteins, by reason of albumin deficiency, fall below 5, but remain above 4%, edema is likely to appear, but can usually be eliminated by proper therapeutic measures. When they fall below 4% treatment is usually ineffectual. Besides albuminuria, which permits direct loss of serum albumin into the urine, the chief cause of the serum protein deficiency appears to be depletion of the protein stores of the body.