Canis ISSN: 2398-2942
Peritoneal fluid: protein
Contributor(s): Yvonne McGrotty
Overview
- Protein content varies with changes in vascular permeability and tissue injury or chemotaxis.
- Protein is elevated in inflammatory effusions, assists differentiation of transudates and exudates.
Sampling
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Tests
Methodologies
- Refractometry:
- A drop of fluid is placed on refractometer plate.
- If fluid is opaque best to centrifuge best and measure protein of supernatant.
- Most refractometers are calibrated to give a reading for total protein in g/dl. Multiply by 10 to convert to g/l.
- Refractometry measures the refractive index (RI) of the fluid.
- The RI changes proportionally to changes in protein concentration.
- Precipitation and dye binding methods.
- Urinary protein reagent strips for detection of grossly elevated total protein.
- Alternatively the protein may be measured using biochemical analyzer.
Availability
- Widely available at commercial laboratories.
- Refractometry can be done in house.
Technique (intrinsic) limitations
- Presence of a high concentration of other solutes, eg lipids, can give a false high reading by refractometry.
- Lipemic fluids often do not separate sufficiently following centrifugation.
Result Data
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
Other sources of information
- Willard M D (1989) Fluid accumulation disorders. In: Small Animal Clinical Diagnosis by Laboratory Methods. Willard, Tvedten & Turmwald (eds). 1st edn, Saunders. pp 229-242.