[Serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels in patients with Cuban epidemic neuropathy].

BACKGROUND

Cuban epidemic neuropathy is an emergent disease that due to its magnitude and health problem it was considered the most devastating outbreak of the XX century of the world. On the other hand it has been reported that the protease inhibitor, in particular alpha 1 antitrypsin has importance for the brain metabolic process and its genetic deficiency was produced peripheric neuropathy. Because of it we should decided to study the serum levels of patients suffering from this disease.

METHODS

It has been studied serum alpha 1 antitripsin levels in 39 patients with peripheric Cuban epidemic neuropathy, six patients with the mixt variant of the disease and 10 patients with diabetic neuropathy. All patients has no toxic habits like alcohol and tobacco consumption. The quantification of alpha 1 antitrypsin was performed by radial immunodiffusion.

RESULTS

When the median values of alpha 1 antitrypsin were compared no significant differences were obtained among the different neuropathies with a significance levels less than 0.05. There was a significant increased of apha 1 antitrypsin with the evolution time of the disease in the patients with the mixt variant and a significant correlation between alpha 1 antitrypsin levels and age with diabetic neuropathy.

CONCLUSIONS

This protease inhibitor looks to be involved in the physiopathology of the Cuban epidemic neuropathy with a decreased levels during the initial time of the disease.