Depression of haptoglobin may indicate hemolysis. Trauma and transfusions may cause a drop in alpha2. Alpha1-antitrypsin is an important protein in the alpha1 fraction. If the patient has emphysema, a family history of emphysema, or liver disease of uncertain type, alpha1-antitrypsin assay and phenotype may be indicated. Albumin is increased in dehydration and decreased in a wide variety of subacute, subchronic, and chronic diseases, including liver, renal, and gastrointestinal diseases, malnutrition, and cachexia.
Electrophoresis permits diagnosis of rare entities such as analbuminemia and bisalbuminemia.
Decreased total protein with essentially normal pattern might indicate dietary deficiency or hemodilution. Significantly elevated total protein with essentially normal pattern is likely to be secondary to dehydration. Significantly low total protein and albumin, increased alhpa2, and low gamma is prototypical of the nephrotic syndrome. Generally the concentration is low. Usually, but not always, there is no Bence Jones proteinuria or suppression of normal immunoglobulins.