title: Non infective colitis in infancy: evidence in favour of minor immunodeficiency in its pathogenesis.
abstract: Forty two infants below the age of two years presenting with chronic non infective diarrhoea and shown to have histologically proven colitis were investigated over a five year period at this hospital. Allergic colitis was the most common cause of colitis accounting for sixty two percent of the cases. Other colitides diagnosed included: non specific colitis, autoimmune enterocolitis and ulcerative colitis accounting for 9.5% each, severe combined immunodeficiency 7.1% and Crohn's disease 2.8%. A positive family history and a personal history of atopy was obtained in 47.6% and 28.6% of the cases. Serum immunoglobulin A, IgG2 and IgG4 were very low in over 50% of the infants with colitis. Sixty six percent of those with severe combined immunodeficiency, autoimmune enterocolitis and ulcerative colitis (n = 11) had low CD3 and CD4 T lymphocytes with an accompanying elevated CD8 in 2/3 of those with severe combined immunodeficiency. T lymphocytes were normal in those with allergic colitis. We conclude that infants with proven non infective colitis show as a group a high prevalence of IgA, IgG2 and IgG4 deficiency. It is likely that this minor deficiency of mucosal associated immunoglobulin production have a role in the pathogenesis of the colitic process.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Institute of Child Health, London.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojuawo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Milla
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lindley
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003092:Colitis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D017098:IgA Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D017099:IgG Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G