Electrophoresis is a laboratory test in which electrically charged particles of blood migrate in an electric field. The speed of this migration depends on the ionic charge of the particles, the field strength, and the radius of the particles, among other factors. Different forms of electrophoresis can be distinguished:
- Protein electrophoresis in blood serum, urine or cerebrospinal fluid.
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis (synonym: Hb electrophoresis).
- Immunofixation electrophoresis
- Lipid electrophoresis
Serum protein electrophoresis (synonym: serum electrophoresis, serum protein electrophoresis) involves splitting the following fractions:
- Total protein
- Albumin
- Alpha-1 fraction
- Alpha-2 fraction
- Beta fraction
- Gamma faction
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- Not necessary
Disruptive factors
- Falsified values can be measured during pregnancy
Normal values – newborn
| Fraction | Normal value relative in % | Normal value absolute in g/dl |
| Total protein | 4,3-7,6 | |
| Albumin | 60-65 | 3,2-4,8 |
| Alpha-1 fraction | 2-5 | 0,1-0,5 |
| Alpha-2 fraction | 7-10 | 0,3-0,7 |
| Beta fraction | 2-16 | 0,2-0,8 |
| Gamma fraction | 13-22 | 0,2-1,0 |
Normal values – infants
| Fraction | Normal value relative in % | Normal value absolute in g/dl |
| Total protein | 5,5-8,0 | |
| Albumin | 63-68 | 4,0-5,0 |
| Alpha-1 fraction | 2-5 | 0,2-0,4 |
| Alpha-2 fraction | 9-11 | 0,5-0,8 |
| Beta fraction | 7-14 | 0,5-0,8 |
| Gamma fraction | 5-19 | 0,3-1,2 |
Normal values – adults/schoolchildren
| Fraction | Normal value relative in % | Normal value absolute in g/dl |
| Total protein | 6,1-8,1 | |
| Albumin | 56-68 | 3,8-6,0 |
| Alpha-1 fraction | 3-5 | 0,1-0,35 |
| Alpha-2 fraction | 6-10 | 0,3-0,85 |
| Beta fraction | 8-14 | 0,5-1,1 |
| Gamma fraction | 10-20 | 0,65-1,6 |
Indications
- Pathological changes in total protein, elevated ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate).
- Suspected liver disease such as hepatitis (liver inflammation).
- Suspicion of plasmocytoma (multiple myeloma)
- Suspicion of kidney disease such as nephrotic syndrome.
- Presence of malignant tumors of any kind
- Suspicion of antibody deficiency
Interpretation
Interpretation of increased values
- Acute inflammation, unspecified (alpha-1/-2 fraction = acute phase proteins).
- Chronic inflammation (late-stage acute inflammation), unspecified (gamma fraction).
- Liver cirrhosis – connective tissue remodeling of the liver leading to functional impairment (albumin).
- Waldenström’s disease (synonym: Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia) – malignant lymphoma disease; is counted among the B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas; typical is an abnormal production of monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) by the lymphoma cells (= monoclonal gammopathy type IgM); Form of paraproteinemia in which there is osteoporosis (bone loss) and episodic purpura (capillary bleeding); in contrast to plasmocytoma, neither osteolysis (bone loss) nor hypercalcemia (calcium excess) are observed.
- Plasmocytoma (multiple myeloma; monoclonal gammopathy).
Interpretation of decreased values
- Primary IgM antibody deficiency syndromes such as X-linked hypogammaglobulinemia.
- Secondary IgG antibody deficiency syndromes due to increased loss (burns, nephrotic syndrome, or decreased formation (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, tumors, unspecified)
- Nephrotic syndrome, burns, sarcomas and malignant lymphomas (Albumins ↓).