Frequency of the changes in the serum immunoglobulins levels of the patients attended at the University Hospital, Londrina, Paraná

Abstract

The immunoglobins constitute a group of glycoproteins detected in the serum and body fluids and are produced by the B-activated lymphocytes that are differentiated in the plasma cells. They are divided into five distinct classes or isotypes: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of changes in the serum levels of immunoglobins in patients attended at the University Hospital (HU), in Londrina, Paraná, assayed during the period from August 2001 to February 2006, by the nephelometry method. The immunoglobin levels were evaluated in 773 serum samples: 410 samples (53.0%) were from female patients and 363 (47.0%) from male patients, with ages ranging from one month to 86 years old. Among the 1719 serum evaluations, the IgA was evaluated in 568 serum samples and changes were observed in 88 (15.5%) of them. Among 495 IgG evaluations, 107 (21.6%) showed changes in the serum levels. The IgM was evaluated in 465 serum samples and 142 (30.5%) showed increased levels. The IgE was evaluated in 191 samples and 129 (67.5%) presented increased serum levels. The results obtained confirm the occurrence of different changes in the serum immunoglobin levels and the importance of this laboratory evaluation for the diagnosis of the infectious, allergic, and autoimmune diseases, and the congenital or acquired humoral immunodeficiencies.