IgA deficiency and SLE: prevalence in a clinic population and a review of the literature.
An association between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency has been reported previously and may have therapeutic consequences for patients who require treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. We report the prevalence of IgA deficiency in a clinic population of 96 patients with SLE. Five patients were found to be consistently IgA deficient. These patients were more likely to be West Indian, to have anti-Sm and anti-La antibodies and to have a speckled pattern of antinuclear antibody. There were no significant differences in clinical features between IgA deficient and other SLE patients, nor in SLE-related HLA alleles. We thus confirm the increased prevalence of IgA deficiency in patients with SLE. A review of the literature is presented and we speculate on the nature of the link between IgA deficiency and SLE.
Rankin
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Department of Medicine, University College London.
Isenberg
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DA
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017098:IgA Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008131:London; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens