Επιπολασμός χαμηλής IgE και συσχέτιση με την κλινική πορεία παιδιών με επαναλαμβανόμενες λοιμώξεις ή και ατοπικές παθήσεις

Abstract

Although IgE has been shown to play a role in the expulsion of intestinal pa-rasites in experimental animals,its overall contribution to host defense in humans remains a subject of controversy. In order to clarify the potential role of IgE in host defense ,we have studied the clinical characteristics of patient with serum IgE level of < 2,5 IU/Ml ,using patients with normal or elevated IgE levels as con-trols. Serum IgE levels were measured in 1876 children, aged 2 months to 16 years, seen as outpatients in our Allergy Department. Normal or elevated IgE levels according to their age, were found in 1435 children (76.5%). Four hundred and forty one children (23.5%) had low IgE levels. Of these children with de-pressed serum IgE, we examined 192, using RAST, skin prick tests, measure-ment of serum IgG, IgG subclasses, IgA and IgM . We also have studied 100 children with normal IgE levels, as control group. The study group of 192 children were found to have IgE levels of <2,5 KU/L; 21% of these children suffered from atopic disease. Compared with controls, children with low IgE levels atopic or no, had higher prevalence of multiple im-munoglobulin deficiency and history of recurrent infections (p < 0.05). There was no difference in prevalence of recurrent infections in children with selectively IgE low levels as compared with those with low levels of IgE, IgG, IgA and IgM simul-taneously. In the subgroup of atopic chidren, during therapy and normalization of IgE levels, we observed diminution of recurrent infections. Children with low IgE levels have an increased prevalence of multiple immu-noglobulin deficits, and recurrent infections when compared with children with normal IgE levels.