Increased protein in the blood. Total protein in the blood is increased - what does this mean, reasons for high concentration

Total protein in blood serum is the concentration of albumin and globulins. This is the liquid component of blood, which is expressed quantitatively in total. To measure this indicator, the unit g/liter is used. Usually its content in the blood is calculated using biochemistry. This analysis is prescribed as the main one when a patient comes with some complaints. Sometimes it happens that this indicator is increased. In this regard, the question arises, what does increased protein in the blood mean?

Protein and its fractions contain complex amino acids. In the blood they take part in various processes the body, with their help the transfer of nutrients occurs.

Blood proteins act as catalysts, thereby performing the body's immune defense. They are also required to maintain a constant pH in the circulating blood. They take an active part in coagulation.

It is through protein that doctors have the opportunity to determine what characteristics a patient’s blood has. In particular, fluidity and viscosity are determined. These indicators can affect the functioning of not only the heart, but also the entire of cardio-vascular system. Protein in the blood must be determined when certain groups of the population undergo clinical examination.

Of course, there are certain protein standards, above or below which the indicator should not be. For an adult, the normal range is from 64 to 84 g/l. It is worth noting that the amount of protein depends on age. The highest rates are observed in adults.

At the same time, there is no division of protein norms into indicators for men and women. This is due to the fact that the indicator has a very large spread. However, most often men have ten percent higher than women in the same age group. Why is this so, you might ask? The whole point is that female body demonstrates high level needs for this component. Most of them are used for the synthesis of sex hormones. At the same time, the synthetic properties of the liver in men are slightly higher.

It is worth especially highlighting such a category as pregnant women. Their spread downwards is even greater. Typically, in pregnant women, protein is observed in quantities 30 percent lower than the generally accepted norm.

There are three reasons for this:

• increased amount of plasma;
• increasing the body's needs for hormone synthesis;
• the need for material for the growth and development of the fetus.

IN various cases Both an increase and a decrease in total protein may be observed. Increases are less common. In this case, an increase most often indicates several diseases.

Why is this happening

The reasons why the indicator is higher than necessary may be different, but it is worth emphasizing right away that most often they are all very serious. High protein can be divided into two groups: absolute increase and relative increase. When it is higher than normal and we are talking about an absolute increase, this means that its amount in the plasma has been increased, but the blood volume has remained the same. The relative increase is associated with blood thickening.

A higher than normal level may occur with diarrhea and frequent vomiting. The reason for this is dehydration. Intestinal obstruction can also make the protein level higher than acceptable. This is due to an obstacle to fluid absorption.

Cholera leads to an increase in blood viscosity, which means it acts as a cause of increased protein levels. Acute bleeding can also cause an increase in protein. This is also due to fluid loss. All these reasons cause a relative increase in protein.

When it comes to an absolute increase, this indicates the presence of much more serious diseases. Firstly, this can happen due to malignant tumors, as a result of which material metabolism and protein production are disrupted.

Secondly, the reasons for the increase in protein may lie in autoimmune diseases. Infections and inflammation of a chronic nature also lead to an increase in protein. The same effect can be observed in sepsis. However, not always high rate means you have a certain disease. Sometimes its increase occurs due to the use of a number of medications.

Downgrading correctly

If the level begins to increase, then first of all the doctor determines the reasons why this is happening. Of course, this does not indicate any specific disease, but it shows that there are pathological processes in the body. Therefore, you should not delay visiting a doctor.

You can also observe a false increase in protein levels, which occurs when the analysis is taken incorrectly. Besides, abrupt change position from horizontal to vertical leads to an increase in the indicator by ten percent, as does physical activity. Accordingly, to eliminate similar factors it is necessary to exclude incorrect preparation for analysis.

All doctors agree that lowering protein levels on your own is prohibited, especially using folk remedies. The fact is that there are many cases when an increase in this indicator indicates serious illness. If this is confirmed by analysis, then self-treatment may pose a threat to the health and even life of the patient.

The doctor usually does not focus only on general analysis blood. At increased rate analysis is prescribed for various fractions. There are also several studies being conducted to help understand the causes of the disease. Only after this is appropriate treatment prescribed, which is usually supported by diet and regimen.

Pathological proteins are often found in blood serum, which are indicators of various diseases. One of them is C-reactive protein, and if it is elevated in the blood, it means that there is an acute inflammatory process in the body, and its causes can be very diverse. To find out what an increase in its concentration in the blood signals, let’s figure out what kind of protein it is and why it begins to be synthesized.

What is C-reactive protein for?

This peptide belongs to the “acute phase” proteins. This means that CRP is one of the first to begin to be synthesized in the liver in response to tissue damage and performs the following functions:

• activates ;
• promotes phagocytosis;
• increases the mobility of leukocytes;
• enhances the functional activity of T-lymphocytes;
• binds to C-polysaccharides of bacteria and phospholipids of damaged tissues.

In fact, he takes an active part in immune defense. Its concentration in the blood increases significantly during the first day after the onset of inflammation, and decreases as recovery progresses. It is produced in response to the appearance of bacterial polysaccharides in the body. It is precisely because of its ability to precipitate the membranes of pneumococci with C-polysaccharide that it got its name. In addition, CRP is synthesized if necrotic processes occur in the body, because it reacts to phospholipids of damaged tissues.

Increased CRP is an early sign:

• infections;
• tissue necrosis.

Not only C-reactive protein is an indicator of an acute inflammatory process. Indicates the same pathologies and ESR. Both of these indicators suddenly increase as soon as the disease occurs, but they also have differences:

1. CRP appears much earlier and then disappears faster than the ESR changes. That is, in the early stages of diagnosis, identifying C-reactive protein is much more effective.
2. If the therapy is effective, this can be determined by CRP on days 6-10 (its level will decrease significantly). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreases after 2-4 weeks.
3. CRP does not depend on gender, time of day, number of red blood cells, plasma composition, and these factors have a significant impact on ESR.

This is why the level of CRP in the blood is important diagnostic criterion when determining the cause of the disease. Determining its concentration is the most sensitive method for assessing the activity of chronic and acute inflammatory processes. It is examined if there is a suspicion of various diseases, and based on how much the level of CRP in the blood has increased, the specialist will make a timely and accurate diagnosis.

Causes of increased C-reactive protein

In laboratories they use various techniques definitions. Determine the concentration of CRP using:

• radial immunodiffusion;
• nephelometry;

If taken at different diagnostic centers, the final numbers may differ slightly. That is why retest It is better to take place in the same laboratory as the first one.

DRR standards:

If there is an inflammatory process, in the first hours of the disease the concentration of this protein begins to increase. Its quantity exceeds the norm by 100 times or more and is constantly growing. After a day, its maximum concentration is reached.

Its amount in the blood increases due to severe operations. After transplantation, an increase in protein concentration indicates graft rejection.

By examining the amount of CRP in the blood, the doctor determines the effectiveness of therapy. If its level is significantly elevated, then the prognosis for the course of the disease is unfavorable. And he points to the following diseases:

Only a doctor will determine the advisability of testing the level of C-reactive protein. After all, diagnosing diseases based on elevated levels of CRP has many features. For example:

1. An increase in C-reactive protein is accompanied by rheumatoid arthritis. Determining the level of CRP is recommended not only for diagnosing this disease, but also for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. However, it is impossible to distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from rheumatoid polyarthritis using this indicator alone.
2. The amount of CRP depends on activity.
3. In (SLE), if there is no serositis, its level will be within normal limits.
4. In patients with SLE, an increase in the concentration of C-reactive protein indicates the development of arterial hypertension.
5. Myocardial infarction is accompanied by an increase in CRP after 18-36 hours. Its level begins to decrease from 18-20 days and after a month and a half returns to normal. During a relapse, there is a surge in C-reactive protein.
6. Its level often increases in patients with. And if stable, this indicator is within the normal range.
7. The synthesis of CRP increases due to malignant tumors. And since this “acute phase” protein is nonspecific, for accurate diagnosis it is studied in combination with others.
8. At bacterial infection the concentration of C-reactive protein is significantly higher than in diseases caused by viruses.

CRP is intensively synthesized in the following chronic diseases:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• spondyloarthropathy;
• idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

In these diseases, the protein concentration depends on the activity of the process, so studying its quantity is necessary to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. A persistent increase indicates a poor prognosis. And in myocardial infarction, C-reactive protein activity is associated with high probability lethal outcome.

Row scientific research showed that even a slight increase in CRP to 10 mg/l indicates the risk of:

• myocardial infarction;
• thromboembolism.

But for diagnostics chronic diseases C-reactive protein levels are unreliable. In addition, its excessive amount is recorded in various autoimmune, infectious, allergic diseases, necrotic processes, after injuries, burns, surgical operations. Therefore, the doctor will make an accurate diagnosis based on the increase in CRP in the blood after conducting additional examinations.

Conclusion

Since C-reactive protein is synthesized in response to necrotic changes in tissues, the occurrence infectious disease, then its definition is necessary for accurate early diagnosis. They also study it to monitor how successful the therapy is. It is better not to independently diagnose an increase in the level of C-reactive protein in the blood, but to entrust this to specialists - a rheumatologist, cardiologist, oncologist, surgeon. Indeed, to determine the cause of the disease, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of CRP, it is necessary to carry out additional examination patient.

Blood protein is represented by albumins and globulins. If the function of the latter is mainly associated with immunological reactions, then albumins perform many different tasks: maintain the viscosity and fluidity of the blood, acid-base balance, constant temperature circulating blood. In addition, fractional proteins transport steroid hormones and other important substances.

During a biochemical blood test, both total protein and its individual components can be determined - albumins and their content by fraction, globulins and their class composition. It is worth noting that such an indicator as total blood protein, although it is an integral part of the analysis, does not carry much diagnostic significance.

• In newborns – 43-76 g/l;
• In children 1-5 years old – 60-74 g/l;
• From 5 to 15 years – 51-77 g/l;
• In adults – 64-83 g/l.

Reasons for increasing total protein

An increase in the level of total protein in the blood is a rather rare phenomenon due to the fact that its causes are usually very serious. It is also worth noting that the increase can be absolute, when the amount of plasma proteins increases without changing the volume of circulating blood, and relative, which is associated with blood thickening.

A relative increase in total protein is noted when:

• Diarrhea and debilitating vomiting, which are accompanied by exicosis, and as a result, a decrease in the amount of fluid in the entire body;
• Intestinal obstruction, which causes an obstacle to the absorption of water from the digestive tract;
• Cholera, which is characterized by increased blood viscosity
• Acute bleeding can also provoke an increase in protein due to significant fluid loss.

The reasons for the absolute increase in protein in the blood are even more serious:

• Malignant tumors that have their own perverted metabolism and intensely produce proteins;
• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus, in which the immune system the body shows aggression against its own healthy cells and tissues;
• The chronic course of infectious and inflammatory processes in which protein enters the blood from destroyed tissues;
• Sepsis.

An increase in the level of total protein in the blood cannot be accidental and is always associated with a threat to the patient’s life. Therefore, when hyperproteinemia is detected in externally healthy people analysis of protein fractions and a number of studies are prescribed.

Decreased protein in the blood

The reasons for a decrease in protein levels in the blood are more common than the reasons for its increase. Hypoproteinemia can also be absolute and relative, and the second occurs only when a person consumes too much water - the so-called “water poisoning”. In principle, the detection of hydremia gives reason to believe increased thirst, which is an integral symptom diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus.

An absolute decrease in protein levels in the blood can be caused by many factors:

• Compliance with diets and fasting, causing a low intake of protein in the body;
• Narrowing of the esophagus, gastritis and other diseases that can reduce a person’s consumption of protein foods. In addition, in some cases with stomach disease and duodenum note a violation of the production of pepsin, which breaks down proteins into simple peptide chains and amino acids. Of course, this affects the absorption and digestion of protein;
• Liver diseases - hepatitis, cholecystitis, cirrhosis, carcinomas. Any liver disease reduces the production of bile, the most important part of digestive juice, which leads to low protein absorption. In addition, a significant part of blood albumin is synthesized directly in the parenchyma of this organ;
• Increased protein breakdown, which can be observed with prolonged fever, a significant increase in body temperature, as well as with extensive burns and frostbite.
• High physical exercise without making the necessary adjustments to the diet, they can also lead to a decrease in protein in the blood plasma;
• Exudative inflammation, in which a significant part of the proteins comes out along with the liquid - exudate. Much less frequently, loss of blood protein can also occur with the release of transudate during the formation of edema and dropsy;
• Kidney diseases in which protein is excreted in the urine - pyelonephritis, nephrosis and some others.

An increase and decrease in total blood protein is not a specific sign of any disease, but allows one to judge the presence of chronic or acute pathological processes in organism.

– obtaining comprehensive information about the functioning of each internal organ individually 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. The meaning of this indicator and interpretation possible deviations This article is devoted to the norm.

What is this indicator

Building material for all organs and tissues human body serves as protein. It, like a kind of frame, creates the basis on which cells and molecular structures of other types of metabolism are attached. We can say that this is the main construction material, without which restoration of the structure of cells and tissues, and therefore their further life, is impossible. The norm of protein metabolism assumes 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;
• Conversion 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 life, the lost structure of damaged protein molecules is constantly being restored!

Naturally, protein can only be transferred between tissues through blood. This is the basis for determining 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. Different kinds pathologies 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 in to a greater extent carries out all types of protein transformations, is the liver. It is this organ that is mainly responsible for general protein metabolism.

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

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

Normal indicators

The range of maximum and minimum values ​​of total blood protein is quite wide. It's connected to the big circle physiological reasons, which 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. It mainly depends on different physiological conditions and processes in the body (pregnancy), gender and age of the person being studied. Generally accepted standards are given in table form. The units of measurement 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 caused normal change hormonal levels– absence of any complaints and pathological symptoms. If they accompany any decrease in protein, this can no longer be the norm.

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

Liver pathology is one of the main reasons for protein reduction

What does a decrease in protein mean?

Doctors call low total plasma protein the term hypoprothienemia. Its main reasons are:

• Hepatocellular failure arising against the background of acute and chronic liver diseases (hepatitis of toxic and viral origin, cirrhosis, pathology bile ducts, primary and metastatic liver tumors;
• Bad or poor nutrition in the absence of pathology internal organs (various diets and fasting);
• Exhaustion of the body due to severe or long-term illnesses and infectious and purulent processes;
• Exhaustion due to 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 diseases blood (leukemia);
• Chronic pathology of the stomach and intestines, accompanied by impaired digestion and absorption of protein components from foods;
• Pathology of the pancreas with its enzymatic insufficiency;
• HIV infection and various immunodeficiencies;
• Diseases endocrine system: decreased function thyroid gland(hypothyroidism) and hyperfunction of the adrenal glands (hypercortisolism);
• Pathology of pregnancy in the form of gestosis.

What to think about if protein is elevated

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

1. Pathological loss of fluid from the body due to any type of dehydration;
2. Severe intoxication in the background acute period infectious and purulent-septic diseases. In this case, a redistribution of fluid occurs between the blood and tissues, against the background of which the total protein increases;
3. The period of active formation of immunity. This is possible after suffering from infectious diseases or vaccination (inoculations);
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 content of coagulation factors).

Video about multiple myeloma – the cause of increased total protein:

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

Protein - important component necessary for the functioning of the body. Its different types are involved in all biochemical processes. They take part in immune defense and blood clotting, and are transported to organs and tissues various substances(lipids, minerals, pigments, hormones, drugs), maintain pH balance in the blood, keep blood elements in suspension, ensure its viscosity and fluidity.

All proteins contained in the blood and differing in properties, structure and purpose are called “total protein”. Serum contains globulins as well as albumins. In addition, there is also fibrinogen in plasma, so total plasma protein is higher than serum protein. A blood test allows you to determine both the total content and the concentration of individual fractions. If serum protein is elevated, it is referred to as hyperproteinemia.

Norm

IN at different ages its own protein concentration rate:

• from 43 to 68 g/liter – for newborns;
• from 48 to 72 – for children under 1 year;
• from 51 to 75 – for children from 1 to 4 years old;
• from 52 to 78 – for children from 5 to 7 years old;
• from 58 to 78 – for children from 8 to 15;
• from 65 to 80 – for adults;
• from 62 to 81 – for people over 60 years old.

According to him general level assess the degree of disturbance of protein metabolism in the body. Determining its concentration is necessary when diagnosing cancer, kidney and liver diseases, severe burns, and nutritional disorders. Elevated protein indicates disturbances in the functioning of the body. It is impossible to determine the cause based on this indicator alone; additional research must be carried out.

Reasons for the increase

Hyperproteinemia can be absolute and relative.

Absolute increase- quite a rare occurrence. It is caused by the production of pathological proteins, increased synthesis of immunoglobulins or intensive production of proteins during the acute period of the disease. In this case the reasons increased protein may be as follows:

1. Chronic polyarthritis.
2. Hodgkin's disease.
3. Cirrhosis of the liver.
4. Chronic hepatitis.
5. Chronic and acute infectious diseases.
6. Blood poisoning.
7. Autoimmune diseases (sarcoidosis, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis).
8. A particularly high level of protein is observed in paraproteinemic hemoblastoses: Waldenström's disease, myeloma and others. Its concentration can reach about 120-160 g/liter.

Absolute hyperproteinemia is observed in many serious illnesses, including infectious, oncological, autoimmune and others

Concerning relative increase protein, it is due to the fact that the blood becomes thicker due to dehydration of the body. The reasons for this condition may be the following:

1. Intestinal obstruction.
2. Diabetes insipidus.
3. Severe burns.
4. Severe injuries.
5. Acute bleeding.
6. Profuse diarrhea.
7. Severe vomiting.
8. Cholera.
9. Generalized peritonitis.
10. Increased sweating.
11. Diabetic ketoacidosis.
12. Chronic nephritis.

Protein concentrations may also increase in healthy people. In these cases, it rises for a short time and quickly returns to normal. False hyperproteinemia is observed:

• when applying a tourniquet to the forearm vein during blood sampling;
• when suddenly rising from bed, that is, changing horizontal position to vertical.

Conclusion

Total protein in biochemical analysis special blood diagnostic value has no idea. Any deviations from the norm require additional research. When detected in blood higher level total protein we need to find out why this happened. In most cases, this is a signal of problems in the body. As a rule, its high level cannot be the norm. It is necessary to quickly make an appointment with a doctor for examination, diagnosis and treatment, since this condition can pose a threat to health and life.