Alkaline phosphatase activity in human colostrum as a valuable predictive biomarker for lactational mastitis in nursing mothers. (August 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bjelakovic, Ljiljana; Kocic, Gordana; Bjelakovic, Bojko; Zivkovic, Nikola; Stojanović, Dusica; Sokolovic, Danka; Mladenovic-Ciric, Ivana; Sokolovic, Dusan
• Is Part Of: Biomarkers in medicine. Volume 6:Number 4(2012)
• Page Start: 553
• Page End: 558
• Publication Date: 2012-08
• Subjects: alkaline phosphatase -- lactational mastitis; Biochemical markers -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.2217/bmm.12.45
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-0363

Abstract

Aims: Biochemical investigations have shown that an indigenous milk enzyme – alkaline phosphatase (ALP) – which is detectable in the lactocytes, plays a very important diagnostic role in clinical medicine, since its activity varies in different tissues and serves as a specific indicator of disease states. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ALP activity in human colostrum as a possible early predictive biomarker for lactational mastitis in nursing mothers.Patients & methods: During a period from May to July 2010, a total of 60 healthy nursing mothers were recruited for this study.Results: The mean level of colostrum ALP activity from the affected breasts was significantly higher when compared with ALP activity from the contralateral asymptomatic as well as 'healthy' breasts (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Determining ALP activity in colostrum could be a valuable biochemical marker for an early prediction of mastitis in nursing mothers.