Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2015 Mar;3(2):109-115. 10.4168/aard.2015.3.2.109.

Relationships between serum immunoglobulin A levels and allergic diseases in Korean children

• Park JS
• Han YI
• Han MY
• Jee HM

• KMID: 2168502
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2015.3.2.109

Abstract

PURPOSE
IgE is associated with allergic disease. However, insufficient research has been carried out regarding the levels of serum IgA in children with allergic disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of serum immunoglobulin in Korean children with allergic disease and to identify significant correlations between such diseases and serum IgA levels.
METHODS
We evaluated 338 children who visited the Pediatric Allergy Clinic, CHA Bundang Medical Center from March 2007 to July 2013. We assessed factors, such as sex, age, and family history of allergic diseases. Laboratory tests, including serum IgG, A, and M, total IgE, and specific IgE, were carried out on all patients. In addition, we compared serum IgA levels in allergic Korean children with normal reference ranges.
RESULTS
The median (interquartile range) of serum IgA values was 31.1 mg/dL (14.3-50.6 mg/dL) in cases of food allergy and 44.3 mg/dL (25.7-94.2 mg/dL) in cases of atopic dermatitis. The serum IgA levels were lower in allergic Korean children aged 9-12 months and 25-72 months than in the normal mean reference values. Relationships between age and serum IgA levels were statistically significant in allergic children.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that serum IgA levels might be lower in allergic children than in the normal mean reference values. In order to understand this mechanism, normal levels for IgA in Korean children must be determined.

Keyword

Immunoglobulin A; Hypersensitivity

MeSH Terms

Child*
Dermatitis, Atopic
Food Hypersensitivity
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin A*
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulins
Reference Values
Immunoglobulin A
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Correlation of serum immunoglobulin levels to age. Serum IgG (A), IgA (B), IgM (C) were significantly correlated to age, but there was no correlation between serum IgE level and age (D).

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