title: The pattern of hypogammaglobulinaemia in Sri Lankan children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in Sri Lankan children who present with recurrent or severe bacterial infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical Research Institute (MRI), Colombo.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 children between the ages of four months to twelve years referred to the Department of Immunology, MRI, for evaluation of immune status during four years from 1993 to 1997.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunoglobulin G, A and M levels were measured using radial immunodiffusion technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  22 out of 100 children had an underlying antibody deficiency, of whom IgA deficiency was the commonest (18 patients). Two patients had low IgG and A and elevated IgM levels, and they were diagnosed as having X linked-hyper-IgM syndrome. One patient had deficient IgA and IgM, and all three immunoglobulins were deficient in another.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that IgA deficiency is the commonest immunodeficiency in Sri Lanka, which is comparable with studies done in the West. This study also shows the need to improve the standard of care in patients with immunodeficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: de Silva
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunawardena
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ratnayake
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weerasinghe
mesh_terms: D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D015995:Prevalence; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M