The Usefulness of Faecal Haemoglobin, Albumin and α-1-Antitrypsin in the Detection of Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Abstract

A pilot study was undertaken to find out whether faecal haemoglobin, albumin and alpha-1-antitrypsin from patients with gastrointestinal disorders could distinguish active bleeders from non-active bleeders and healthy volunteers. Alpha-1-antitrypsin is not as readily degraded by endogenous and bacterial breakdown as haemoglobin and albumin and consequently could be a better marker for occult bleeding.