The relationship of IgA and IgE deficiency

The authors examined serum IgE levels in patients and family members in IgA deficiency and common variable hypogammaglobulinemia (CHV). Immunoglobulin levels of IgG, IgA and IgM were measured concurrently on the same samples by single radial diffusion. IgE levels were determined by a radioinhibition assay previously described. In 12 patients with IgA deficiency the mean level of IgE was significantly less than that in normal controls (p<0.01). Nine of the 12 patients had decreased levels of IgE (less than 20 ng/ml), of these, 2 had increased incidence of sinopulmonary infections. Of the 3 patients with normal IgE and diminished IgA, none had recurrent infections. In 12 patients with CVH, serum IgE levels were uniformly depressed and markedly different (p<0.001) from the control population. All of these patients had both diminished levels of IgG, IgA and IgM and recurrent severe infections. Six spouses and 44 first degree relatives of these 12 patients were also studied. The most frequent immunoglobulin abnormality was IgA deficiency in 14% which was markedly increased when compared to 0.17% in the normal population. Of the entire group 17 family members had serum IgE levels of less than 20 ng/ml.