Relationship Between Duration, Protein Loss Through Scaling And Serum Protein Levels In Exfoliative Dermatitis

Abstract

Forty patients of exfoiliative dermatitis (ED), 35 of which were male and 5 female, constituted the study sample. The mean duration of ED were 10, 15 and 5 days for ED secondary to psoriasis, exzema and others, and drug reactions respectively. Fourteen (35%) patients had reduced serum protein levels of which 12 (30%) had reversal of albumin to globulin ratio. Normal serum protein levels were maintained up to 12.8 g of daily protein loss through scaling. In ED secondary to psoriasis, a mean duration of 15 days and protein loss of the 16 g per day through scaling were found to have significant (p<0.01) lowering of serum protein levels. In ED due to eczema and drug reactions, it was not significant. Total serum protein level was inversely proportional to the amount of protein loss through scaling and duration of the disease.