An increase in protein in a biochemical blood test. Why is protein elevated in the blood, what does this mean? Preparation for total protein analysis and sampling of biomaterial

The sum of all protein fractions of plasma (albumins and globulins), pathological fractions of proteins (CRP, etc.). An increased protein in the blood of an adult and a child (hyperproteinemia) indicates the presence of some kind of disease in the body.

Functions

Different protein fractions perform many functions in the body, and so what are the functions of the protein:

• participate in maintaining the acid-base state of the blood (with the help of a protein buffer system);
• participate in the maintenance of oncotic blood pressure;
• transport ( protein transferrin - carrier of atoms);
• enzymatic (protein nature has a digestive enzyme pepsin);
• structural (collagen - the main substance of connective tissue has a protein nature);
• hormonal (hormone insulin protein nature);
• receptor;
• contractile;
• reserve;
• protective (proteins of the immune system, cell wall proteins carry out mechanical protection of the cell).

Preparation for analysis

The amount of protein in the blood is examined in a biochemical analysis. in the morning. Avoid medication, alcohol and smoking. You should avoid drinking large amounts of fluid, exclude physical and emotional stress.

Also, do not eat sweets. The day before the protein test, you should refrain from eating excessive amounts of protein foods. They do it, seal it in test tubes and send it to the laboratory.

Included in the list of mandatory tests during the medical examination.

Indications and contraindications

Indications for a biochemical blood test for protein:

• (CHD, heart attack, hypertension);
• if a bacterial infection is suspected;
• with various collagenoses;
• with extensive burns;
• with suspected kidney disease;
• with suspected liver disease;
• with oncological diseases;
• in case of malnutrition;
• with cachexia;
• if you suspect a systemic connective tissue disease;
• to control the treatment of infectious diseases;
• for the control of treatment in oncological diseases.

Norm

Measured in grams per litre. Protein norm values ​​for men, women, women and children are slightly different. For adults, the normal content of total protein is 65-85. For men and women, the numbers are slightly different, the above are the average values ​​for both sexes.

For adults of different ages, the values ​​\u200b\u200bare also slightly different.

During pregnancy

To monitor the course of pregnancy, a biochemical blood test is taken:

• to register a pregnant woman;
• in the first trimester, prenatal biochemical screening is performed. During screening, specific PAPP-A, β - proteins are determined.
• in the second trimester at 16-20 weeks, a triple test is performed, β-hCG, AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and free fraction of estriol are determined. The analysis is carried out in the presence of indications.
• at 24-28 weeks (routine screening);
• at 32-36 weeks (routine screening);

During pregnancy, the protein level is normally slightly lower - 55-65 grams per liter. This is due to an increase in the amount of fluid in the mother's bloodstream. During lactation, a woman's protein level is also normally reduced.

Increased protein in the blood during pregnancy can also be caused by the reasons listed below.

Causes

The reasons for increasing the level of protein in the blood in men, women, children can be absolute, relative and physiological.

A physiological increase in protein in the blood can be caused by the intake of protein foods. A relative increase in protein levels is caused by fluid loss from the body, for example, with increased sweating. The absolute reasons for the increase in protein in human blood are due to changes in protein metabolism, which in turn can be caused by various diseases.

The causes of increased protein in the blood in adults and children are as follows:

• chronic diseases (also in the acute phase), acute infectious diseases, extensive burns, intoxication. An additional fraction of proteins appears in the blood plasma, the so-called acute phase proteins. This group includes CRP - C reactive protein, ceruloplasmin, complement components, alpha-macroglobulins, immunoglobulins, etc. The synthesis of these proteins occurs under the action of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Due to this fraction, the indicator of total blood protein increases.

• Oncological diseases. In the presence of oncology in the blood, the amount of albumin and fibrinogen decreases. By reducing these fractions, the relative amount of gamma globulins increases. In the blood, the amount of protein can increase due to the appearance of specific tumor markers in the plasma. Tumor markers are specific proteins produced by cancer cells. allow you to determine the organ in which the cancerous tumor is supposedly located, what size it is, at what stage of development it is. The analysis should be evaluated in dynamics: since the level of the normal protein level for each person is individual.
• Congenital and acquired blood diseases (heavy chain disease, Waldenström's hyperproteinemia). So an increase in total protein in the blood due to pathological paraproteins is possible with. At the same time, the increase in the value can be significant - up to 16 grams per liter.
• Chronic liver diseases in the acute phase, without hepatocellular insufficiency. The amount of total protein increases due to the activation of the immune system.
• autoimmune diseases;
• , rheumatoid arthritis. An additional protein appears in the blood - rheumatoid factor. Also useful for diagnosing collagenoses.

Relative hyperproteinemia is characterized by an increase in the amount of protein due to a decrease in the amount of fluid in the body. The reasons for the high level of protein in the blood may be as follows:

• severe burns. Fluid is lost due to its loss through a large area of ​​the burn;
• intestinal obstruction;
• indomitable vomiting;
• chronic kidney disease (nephritis);
• profuse diarrhea;
• increased sweating;
• massive bleeding.

An increased level of protein in the blood in men and in women can be caused by similar reasons.

Features for kids

For newborns, the rate of protein in the blood is 48-73, for children up to a year - 47-72, up to 4 years - 61 - 75, up to 7 years - 52 - 78, up to 15 years - 58-76. Increased blood protein in children, increased blood protein in newborns can also be relative, absolute and physiological.

Conclusion

The total level of protein in the blood is of great diagnostic value. Protein indicators can tell the doctor a lot about the state of the patient's body. Only a qualified doctor can decipher a biochemical blood test.

The use of certain drugs. For example, corticosteroids can cause hyperproteinemia. Also, an increase in the amount of protein can be caused by a change in body position from a lying position to a standing position. Also, an increase in the level of protein in the blood can be caused by prolonged clamping of the hand with a tourniquet.

You can not engage in self-diagnosis, if you change the value in the tests, you need to consult a doctor. Total protein is an important indicator of the efficiency of protein metabolism in the body.

- obtaining comprehensive information about the functioning of each internal organ separately and the body as a whole as a single system. One of the leading indicators of this analysis is the determination of the concentration of total protein in the blood and its fractions. This article is devoted to the meaning of this indicator and the interpretation of possible deviations from the norm.

What is this indicator

The building material for all organs and tissues of the human body is protein. It, like a kind of framework, creates a basis on which cells and molecular structures of other types of metabolism are attached. We can say that this is the main building material, without which the restoration of the structure of cells and tissues, and hence their future life, is impossible. The rate of protein metabolism implies a constant circulation of protein, consisting of:

• The breakdown of complex protein structures into simpler protein molecules and amino acids;
• Its synthesis from amino acids that are formed in the body or enter the bloodstream with food;
• The transformation of one type of protein into another.

Important to remember! There is not a single cell or fluid in the human body that does not contain a minimum amount of protein. In the process of vital activity, the lost structure of damaged protein molecules is constantly being restored!

Naturally, protein can only be transported between tissues through the blood. This underlies the determination of total protein in blood serum as the main indicator of protein metabolism. The meaning of the term total protein suggests that such an indicator of biochemical analysis indicates the concentration of all types of protein that can circulate in the body. And there are more than a hundred of them. They can be represented not only by physiological protein molecules that are formed daily in cells. Various types of pathology of certain organs lead to the formation of pathological proteins, which will also affect the total blood plasma protein and biochemical analysis in general. A kind of laboratory, which to a greater extent carries out all types of protein transformations, is the liver. It is this organ that is mainly responsible for overall protein metabolism.

The main types of plasma proteins that determine the level of total protein in a blood test are:

• Albumins - the largest fraction of protein molecules with a low molecular weight, which are responsible for maintaining the structure of cells and the optimal state of the blood;
• Globulins are the second largest protein fraction represented by macromolecular compounds. They talk about the activity of the immune system;
• Fibrinogen is a specific protein responsible for the key links in blood coagulation;
• Other proteins - they are represented by various physiological or pathological modifications of the basic types of proteins. Normally, their number is very low.

Normal performance

The range of maximum and minimum indicators of total blood protein is quite wide. This is due to a wide range of physiological reasons that affect the activity of protein metabolism in the body. In addition, there are reasons why the rate of this indicator may change in one direction or another. Basically, it depends on different physiological conditions and processes in the body (pregnancy), sex and age of the subject. Generally accepted standards are given in the form of a table. Measurement units for protein metabolism are presented in grams per liter of plasma (g/L).

In women, total protein levels may be slightly reduced compared to men (up to 10%). During pregnancy, such a decrease is even more likely and can reach about 30% of the norm. The main condition indicating that these changes are physiological and due to normal changes in hormonal levels is the absence of any complaints and pathological symptoms. If they accompany any decrease in protein, this can no longer be the norm.

Important to remember! The deviation of the obtained indicator of total protein from the upper or lower limit of the norm by several units is not a pathology. A pronounced decrease in blood protein is much more common than its increase. If the first type of deviations can be caused by many different factors, then the second type of indicator changes is characteristic of a narrow range of diseases!

Liver pathology is one of the main causes of protein reduction.

What does a decrease in protein mean?

Reduced total plasma protein is called hypoproteinemia by physicians. Its main reasons are:

• Hepatocellular insufficiency that has arisen against the background of acute and chronic liver diseases (hepatitis of toxic and viral origin, cirrhosis, pathology of the bile ducts, primary and metastatic liver tumors;
• Poor or malnutrition in the absence of pathology of internal organs (various diets and fasting);
• Exhaustion of the body due to severe or prolonged diseases and infectious-purulent processes;
• Exhaustion against the background of malignant tumors;
• Accelerated excretion of protein in the urine in severe kidney pathology and renal failure;
• Diabetes mellitus and its complications;
• Severe anemia, bleeding and malignant blood diseases (leukemias);
• Chronic pathology of the stomach and intestines, accompanied by impaired digestion and absorption of protein components from food products;
• Pathology of the pancreas with its enzymatic deficiency;
• HIV infection and various immunodeficiencies;
• Diseases of the endocrine system: decreased thyroid function (hypothyroidism) and hyperfunction of the adrenal glands (hypercorticism);
• Pathology of pregnancy in the form of preeclampsia.

What to think about if the protein is high

If the blood biochemistry is characterized by an increase in protein levels, they speak of hyperproteinemia. Its reasons can be:

1. Pathological fluid loss by the body with any type of dehydration;
2. Severe intoxication against the background of an acute period of infectious and purulent-septic diseases. In this case, there is a redistribution of fluid between the blood and tissues, against which the total protein increases;
3. The period of active formation of immunity. This is possible after suffering infectious diseases or vaccination (vaccination);
4. Multiple myeloma (production of pathological Bence-Jones protein in the body). Accompanied by severe hyperproteinemia;
5. DIC syndrome (severe disorders of the blood coagulation system, causing pathological levels of coagulation factors).

Video about multiple myeloma - the reason for the increase in total protein:

Important to remember! A decrease in the level of total protein may be associated either with a violation of its intake or synthesis, or with excessive expenditure on the restoration of damaged tissues, or excessive excretion by the kidneys. An absolute increase in its level occurs only with multiple myeloma, as the blood is overflowing with pathological protein. A relative increase is an increase in the amount of protein in which its norm is exceeded due to a reduced amount of fluid in the blood plasma!

Proteins are important for the body. After all, it is possible to determine dangerous diseases: cancerous tumors, pathologies of the kidneys and liver, infectious diseases, knowing the norm of total protein in the blood serum. After all, a deviation from the norm indicates the presence of pathology.

Total protein in blood serum is the totality of all protein compounds in blood plasma. These compounds include antibodies, enzymes, reactive protein, hormones, transport proteins, etc. For the body, all these elements are very significant, therefore, in the diagnosis, analysis of the total protein is considered one of the main ones. The substance is synthesized in the liver. The protein is divided into several fractions: albumins, globulins, fibrinogens - the concentration of which is also taken into account in the analysis of serum.

Albumins are hydrophilic proteins with a low molecular weight content. They are produced in the liver. This fraction maintains the necessary plasma pressure and serves as a reserve of free amino acids.

The next fraction - globulins, have a macromolecular content. The substance dissolves only in saline solution. They are divided into globulins of the following types: a1, a2, b, g. Occupy 50% of the total protein, are of great importance for the synthesis with antibodies.

A fraction such as fibrinogens are high molecular weight and take part in the formation of a platelet blood clot and are responsible for blood clotting. They have the lowest concentration in total protein compared to other fractions.

Protein performs significant functions necessary for the normal functioning of the body. We list the main ones:

• provides immune protection of the body;
• maintains a constant pH environment of the circulatory system;
• participates in blood clotting;
• affects the fluidity and viscosity of blood serum:
• maintains a balance of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets in serum.

It can be concluded that all fractions are a kind of framework that holds all the other elements of cells and tissues.

Determine the norm of the substance

To determine the level of total protein, you need to pass a biochemical blood test. It is important to know that the rate depends on age and gender. Visually, the rate of total protein in the blood is displayed in the table.

There are also norms of total protein in the blood serum, depending on the type of fraction, which are taken into account when determining any diseases.

The norm of the concentration of total protein in men does not change, but women are characterized by fluctuations in the level associated with the peculiarity of the body and pregnancy. Generally, total serum protein in women is 10% less than in men. This is due to the fact that in women a large amount of the substance is spent on the production of sex hormones.

Also in women, the level of a substance in the serum changes during pregnancy, it decreases greatly. The norm during pregnancy is considered to be a decrease from the generally accepted level of a certain age category by 30%. This is due to an increase in the circulating amount of plasma due to fluid retention in the vascular space, an increased body's need for protein for the growth and development of the fetus. Also during pregnancy, the proportions of the fractions must be taken into account.

Despite the fact that this is considered the norm, it is necessary to monitor and regularly check the level of the substance, because an excessive decrease during pregnancy can adversely affect the health of the mother and baby. But the increase in protein during pregnancy is even more dangerous, as it clearly indicates pathology.

Causes of a decrease and increase in the concentration of a substance

A low concentration of a substance in the blood serum is called hypoproteinemia. In women, this phenomenon is observed during pregnancy and lactation, this is considered normal. But in other cases, a low level of total protein can be triggered by some pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (enterocolitis, pancreatitis), kidneys (glomerulonephritis). Another factor is a violation of the production of a substance, which occurs due to liver diseases: cirrhosis, oncology, hepatitis.

Deviation of the level to the lower side is often caused due to insufficient intake of protein in the body. This is observed during a diet, fasting. Other factors are excess water in the body and excessive physical activity. It is possible to restore the level and improve well-being only with the appointment of the right therapy. Therefore, you can not self-medicate, this can only exacerbate the problem.

An elevated level, or hyperproteinemia, is uncommon, and in most cases indicates the presence of a disease. When a high concentration is detected, it is imperative to pass all the necessary tests to determine the cause, since an elevated level has irreversible consequences.

The main factors are:

• acute and chronic infectious diseases;
• autoimmune pathologies;
• dehydration of the body due to poisoning and burns;
• malignant tumors.

If a blood test has shown that the level of total protein in the blood serum is not normal, then an examination should be started immediately to identify the causes (an exception is pregnancy). All diagnostic methods and recommendations must be prescribed by a qualified specialist. Even minor changes should never be ignored, since the disease is better to prevent than to cure.

A biochemical blood test is always carried out in order to obtain the most complete information about the state of the body as a whole and about the work of all internal systems and organs.

One of the key indicators in such a study can be called the level of total protein, as well as its fractions, which allows you to identify many possible violations and take action in time.

In this article, you will learn everything about increased protein in the blood, what it means, what are the causes and symptoms.

The meaning and functions of protein in the blood

Protein is the main building block for almost all body tissues. It creates a kind of strong framework to which various molecular structures and cells are attached. It is protein that can be called the main element in the construction of all organs, since without it the restoration of damaged tissues, their cells and the further work of organs will be impossible.

The process of protein metabolism is constantly going on in the body, but its norm consists of several criteria at once, in particular:

• From the process of degeneration of one type of protein into another.
• From the amount of proteins synthesized by the body from amino acids absorbed from food.
• From the level of breakdown of proteins of complex structure into simple types of amino acids and molecules.

It should be remembered that in the human body protein is present in all tissues, fluids and their cells, and the process of restoring lost, damaged or destroyed protein molecules occurs constantly, which ensures our normal existence.

Protein is transported through the bloodstream, so determining its level in the patient's blood is a key indicator of the process of protein metabolism.

The norm of protein in adults and children

The values ​​of normal indicators have a fairly wide spread, which is due to many reasons, mainly of a physiological nature.

Due to some factors, the indicators may deviate upward or, conversely, downward, which leads to a change in the state, but this is not always considered a pathology. Most often, changes in values ​​are associated with a certain physiological state, for example, pregnancy, but the level of the indicator also depends on the age of the patient, as well as on his gender.

An increased protein in the blood is very dangerous for health, so we will further consider the possible causes and symptoms of its increase.

Causes of high protein in the blood

In this part of the article, you will find out all the reasons why the total protein in the blood is increased. Elevated total protein in the blood is called hyperproteinemia. This condition can have a different degree and severity. In particular, the absolute and relative levels of this violation are distinguished.

Hyperproteinemia absolute

Absolute hyperproteinemia occurs due to the presence of:

• Chronic inflammatory diseases. In this case, the total protein can increase up to 90 g/l, but does not exceed this limit. The increase occurs due to an increase in the amount of gamma globulins. These include diseases: sarcoidosis in the active stage, autoimmune hepatitis, tuberculosis, leprosy, kala-azar, sepsis, schistosomiasis, syphilis, malaria.
• Cirrhosis of the liver. In the initial stages of this disease, the level of gamma globulins is kept at high levels, and the decrease in albumin has not yet occurred, but an increase in total protein begins. Subsequently, when the development of the disease intensifies, the patient can observe the appearance of ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity) and edema.

You will be interested in:

• Macroglobulinemia of Waldenström.
• Plasma uitoma, in which the protein level increases as much as 200 g / l.
• Syndrome and Itsenko-Cushing's disease.
• Hyperthyroidism due to a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
• Anemia of the iron deficiency category, which occurs when the body's absorption of this element is impaired or there is an insufficient supply of it with food.
• Acromegaly.

Relative hypoproteinemia

Most often, this condition occurs due to severe dehydration or significant fluid loss. In this case, an increase in hematocrit is usually observed.

Most often, relative hypoproteinemia occurs when:

• The appearance of violations of the sense of thirst. This occurs, for example, with head injuries and damage to the brain, primarily the hypothalamus.
• Poisoning or other digestive disorders, accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, significant loss of fluid.
• Severe and prolonged bleeding.
• Excessive sweating, such as when you are overheated or have a high body temperature.
• Renal failure of the acute type, when the disease is in the polyuric phase.
• Diabetes insipidus type.

Of course, in many types of diseases, an increased total protein is not only in the blood, but also in the urine or cerebrospinal fluid, which is of great diagnostic importance in many areas of medicine.

Symptoms of the manifestation of the disease and methods of treatment

If an elevated total protein is observed in the results of the study, it is very important to accurately determine the cause of this condition. As a rule, an increase in this indicator does not have any specific symptoms, but always indicates the presence of a pathological process in the body. At the same time, the higher the protein, the more serious and more difficult the disease is, even if it has a latent form.

A visit to the doctor should not be postponed, since serious, very often irreversible changes can occur in the body during this period, and the condition will be significantly complicated by the appearance of new severe ailments.

Treatment of the condition should be aimed at eliminating the cause that caused the increase in indicators, and in no case should you do this on your own. Only a qualified doctor can accurately determine the disease (and, possibly, more than one) by conducting a complete examination.

In some cases, an increased amount of protein in the results of the study turns out to be false, which happens for several reasons. For example, in case of violation of the technology of taking material from a vein.

It is important to remember that physical activity (even a slight one) within an hour before the procedure increases the amount of protein by 10%. The same amount of protein will increase if the patient gets out of bed, that is, moves from a horizontal position of the body to a vertical one. It is very important to rest before the procedure for at least half an hour, since it is during this period that the indicator increases. Now you know all the symptoms that indicate an increased protein in the blood.

Elevated C-reactive protein

CRP is the dominant protein that activates the immune system when any damage occurs in tissues, organs or systems. That is why CRP, as well as the ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), in the study of blood is important for the diagnosis of diseases.

Elevated ESR is often observed in infections, especially of the bacterial type. When harmful elements enter the human body, there is a rapid increase in this protein by several tens of times. For example, if the normal value is 5 mg/l, then during a viral attack this value can rise sharply to 100 mg/l or more.

But there are other reasons for the rapid increase in ESR, for example:

During pregnancy, this figure is increased in cases where there is a threat of miscarriage. It also increases in the period after surgery, with obesity, taking hormonal contraceptives, serious physical exertion, sleep disturbances, in a state of depression, and following a protein diet.

In this article, you learned about the total protein in the blood and the reasons why the protein in the blood is elevated and what to do if it is elevated. Now you all know why there may be an increased protein in the blood.