Reduced levels of IgG subclasses and IgA in young children with asthma |
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| Authors: | R. K. S. Loh Y. H. Thong S. C. Harth A. Ferrante |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Child Health, University of Queensland, Mater Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Australia.;Department of Immunology, Adelaide Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia. |
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| Abstract: | Serum immunoglobulins including IgG subclasses were measured in 73 unselected children with asthma. The results showed that 22 (30%) had partial IgA and/or IgG4 subclass deficiency. Clinical assessment showed that 21 children were infection-prone, and 52 were not. Further analysis showed that infection-prone children were significantly different from non-infection-prone children with regard to familial history of allergy (29% vs 60%, p = 0.015), elevated IgE (62% vs 33%, p = 0.021), IgA deficiency (38% vs 15%, p = 0.38) and IgG subclass deficiency (24% vs 4%, p = 0.018). These results suggest that there may be subgroups of children with asthma who are also immunodeficient. |
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| Keywords: | IgG subclasses IgA asthma children. |
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