SEROLOGICAL ALPHA(1)-ANTICHYMOTRYPSIN IN PATIENTS WITH PROBABLE SENILE DEMENTIA OF ALZHEIMER-TYPE - A SHORT-TERM LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Serum levels of alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin (alpha(1)-ACT), macroglobuli n, alpha(1)-antitrypsin, ceruloplasmin, acid glycoprotein, transferrin , and C-reactive protein were measured in patients with probable late onset dementia of Alzheimer type (I-AD), patients with vascular dement ia (VD), healthy elderly (HC), and patients with chronic or acute infl ammation. Three blood samples were taken at 10-15-day intervals. Serum alpha(1)-ACT levels from first and second serum samples were elevated in one out of 11 l-AD patients. Serpin serum levels from the third sa mple were increased in four out of 11 l-AD patients. None of these pat ients showed increased levels of other acute phase proteins measured i n the three serum samples. VD patients did not show abnormal serum lev els of alpha(1)-ACT. Serum levels of alpha(1)-ACT along with those of other acute phase proteins were altered in patients with inflammation. This investigation showed that in 1-AD patients with increased alpha( 1)-ACT acid no concomitant elevation of other acute phase proteins, se rum levels of alpha(1)-ACT varied with time. Based on our results, ser um alpha(1)-ACT does not appear to be a useful biomarker for clinical diagnosis of probable 1-AD, but it might be associated with the clinic al history of the disease.