Immunoglobulin G Subclass Deficiency in Children with High Levels of Immunoglobulin E and Infection Proneness

Abstract

Of 32 unrelated children with serum IgE > 1,000 U/ml, 17 were found to have infection proneness according to standard clinical criteria, and 15 were not infection prone. There were no statistical differences between these 2 groups of children with regard to age, sex, serum IgE levels or prevalence of asthma. However, the prevalence of eczema was significantly lower in the infection-prone group (p = 0.035). Of greater interest was the finding that 7 children in the infection-prone group had IgG subclass and/or IgA deficiency compared with none in the non-infection-prone group (p = 0.006). These results suggest that IgG subclass studies may be warranted in children with markedly elevated levels of serum IgE and proneness to infection.

What people with Down Syndrome can teach us about cardiopulmonary disease

“…Levels of immunoglobulin classes and responses to vaccination vary in Down syndrome [170]. In one study of 26 children with Down syndrome, only one individual had decreased IgG2 levels, yet 18 out of 26 had increased rates of infection [175,176]. Following vaccination to influenza A or polysaccharide pneumococcus, antibody responses are active in persons with Down syndrome, yet antibody titres are lower [166,169,177,178].…”

Isotype Defects

“…These patients have recurrent respiratory infection, 51 including refractory sinusitis 52À54 or asthma. 52,55,56 IgG3 deficiency has also been described in a patient with recurrent lymphocytic meningitis, 57 and in patients with an elevated IgE and recurrent infections (often with an IgA or IgG4 deficiency) 58 and recurrent parotitis. 59…”