title: Long-term follow-up of anti-IgA antibodies in healthy IgA-deficient adults.
abstract: A follow-up study of anti-IgA antibodies in 159 healthy blood donors with severe deficiency of serum IgA (< 0.05 mg/L) and in 45 donors with decreased serum IgA levels (0.05-799 mg/L), identified in 1971-1980, was carried out. Initially anti-IgA antibodies were determined by a hemagglutination (HA) method and two reexaminations were done in 1990-1992 by an enzyme immunoassay. The median follow-up period was 19 years, during which anti-IgA level was changed considerably in only four persons, increased in two, and high level antibodies (> 1/1000 by HA) appeared in two. In reexaminations anti-IgA antibodies were found in 30 (19%) subjects with severe IgA deficiency and the antibody levels remained relatively constant in those who had high and medium antibody levels. Anti-IgA antibodies were not found in subjects with decreased, but detectable serum IgA. Thus it seems that only those healthy adults who have severe IgA deficiency develop anti-IgA antibodies and their anti-IgA levels remain fairly constant. Of the 159 subjects with severe IgA deficiency, 66 had a history of IgA exposure, but no correlation to anti-IgA development was noted.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Helsinki.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tölö
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirvonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koistinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017098:IgA Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; C049937:anti-IgA