Electrophoretic Profile of Serum Proteins Using Capillary Technique in Patients Attending the Douala General Hospital, Cameroon

Background: Electrophoresis of serum proteins is an orientation examination routinely used in clinical practice. For a few years, agarose gel electrophoresis has tended to be replaced with capillary electrophoresis owing to an increase in the accuracy of results. However, this technique is uncommon and is not widely used in Cameroon. Objectives: The research aimed at studying the electrophoretic profile of serum proteins using capillary technique among patients attending the Douala General Hospital, Cameroon. Methods: Capillary electrophoresis was used to carry out tests on blood samples from any inpatients and outpatients and fasting for ۸-۱۲ hours. Capillary electrophoresis of serum samples was used for the separation of proteins into six fractions and the total protidemia of each serum samples was determined using the Biuret method. Results were interpreted by observing the shape of curves and quantitative variations in each fraction of the different serum proteins. Results: A total of ۳۱۱ patients participated in the study. The sampled population aged ۵۰±۱۸ years on average and consisted of ۵۵.۳% men and ۴۴.۷% women. All capillary electrophoresis profiles presented six protein fractions, namely, albumin, alpha (۱ and ۲), beta (۱ and ۲) and gamma globulins. Pathological disorders were diagnosed in ۲۹۰ patients and ۲۱ patients had normal results. Inflammatory syndromes accounted for ۶۳.۳۴% and monoclonal gammopathies for ۱۰.۲۹% the main pathological disorder identified. Conclusion: Capillary electrophoresis provides a more precise identification of biological syndromes and clear distinction of the six fractions of each protein. Monoclonal profiles and inflammatory syndromes were well detected. A prevalence of ۱۰.۲۹% was determined for gammopathies.