Degradation of albumin in meningococcal sepsis

We postulate that the proteolytic degradation of albumin into fragments could link the rapidity of the shock, rash, and hypocalcaemia associated with meningococcal sepsis. We examined urine of children with meningococcal disease and urine from control children with no sepsis and found albumin fragme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Lancet (British edition) 2001-06, Vol.357 (9274), p.2102-2104
Main Authors: Holland, Philip C, Hancock, Stephen W, Hodge, Donald, Thompson, Douglas, Shires, Sue, Evans, Stuart
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Albumin
Albumins - analysis
Albuminuria - urine
Blotting, Western
Calcium
Child
Children
Children & youth
Degradation
Disease control
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Exanthema
Fragments
Humans
Hypotheses
Manufacturing industry
Medical diagnosis
Meningitis
Meningococcal disease
Meningococcal Infections - physiopathology
Meningococcal Infections - urine
Neisseria meningitidis
Patients
Proteolysis
Purpura
Sepsis
Sepsis - microbiology
Sepsis - physiopathology
Sepsis - urine
Shock, Septic - physiopathology
Shock, Septic - urine
Urine
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Summary:We postulate that the proteolytic degradation of albumin into fragments could link the rapidity of the shock, rash, and hypocalcaemia associated with meningococcal sepsis. We examined urine of children with meningococcal disease and urine from control children with no sepsis and found albumin fragments of about 45 kDa, 25 kDa, and less than 20 kDa only in the urine of children with meningococcal sepsis and associated purpura. Exogenous or endogenous proteases, or both, may be released in severe meningococcal sepsis and, in association with an inadequate antiprotease response, result in albumin degradation. This may be a contributory factor to the rapid shock, hypocalcaemia, and rash seen in meningococcal sepsis.
ISSN:0140-6736
1474-547X
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)05200-4