Macroenzyme detection by polyethylene glycol precipitation

Abstract

Background: The presence of macroenzymes can cause significant diagnostic confusion and their detection can involve relatively cumbersome analytical procedures.

Methods: Using a simplified polyethylene glycol precipitation technique and isoenzyme electrophoresis, this report describes the construction of reference ranges of precipitable activity for each of seven commonly measured enzymes in plasma.

Results: The proposed reference ranges are reported. Since introducing the protocol, 12 cases of macroenzymaemia have been encountered. Three typical case histories are described in some detail.

Conclusions: The polyethylene glycol precipitation method has thus far proved to be a simple and effective additional test for the detection of macroenzymes when the plasma enzyme activity is elevated.