Serum albumin levels and intraethnic variations in susceptibility to a seasonal ataxia in Nigerians.

A seasonal ataxic syndrome occurs annually, predominantly among the Ijeshas of Western Nigeria, characterized by intention tremors, cerebellar ataxia, nystagmus, and varying levels of impaired consciousness. There are evidences for intraethnic variations in susceptibility to the ataxic syndrome among the Ijeshas. The reasons for such intraethnic variations in susceptibility are unclear. To test the notion that the protein nutritional status of individuals may presage susceptibility to disease, we have undertaken a controlled study of serum albumin levels as an index of protein nutriture in patients presenting with the disease. Our study shows that the mean serum albumin level in susceptible individuals on admission was significantly lower than at discharge (Mann-Whitney test: P = .0019), was significantly lower than in controls (P = .0004), and was in no single case higher than 34 g/L (laboratory reference value 35 to 50 g/L). These results imply that the protein nutriture of individuals predicts susceptibility to the seasonal ataxia.