title: Determination of levels of salivary IgA subclasses in patients with minor recurrent aphthous ulcer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrent Aphthous Ulcer (RAU) is an inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent, painful oral ulcers. It is of multifactorial etiology. Salivary immunoglobulins have important role in the protection of mucosal surfaces.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine salivary immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) and IgA2 in acute and remission phases of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty clinically confirmed cases of RAU and 30 age-and sex-matched controls were included in the study. After detailed case history and thorough clinical examination, 2 mL of saliva was collected in both acute and remission phases of the disease. The obtained saliva samples were subjected to quantification of IgA1 and IgA2 levels using RID kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IgA2 level was significantly higher (P<.001) in both acute and remission phase of the study group. The mean IgA1 level also showed a significant increase in the acute phase compared to remission as well as controls (P<.05). Females exhibited a higher level in acute phase for IgA1 and in both phases for IgA2 (P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results associated with clinical observations suggest that acute phase is characterized with increase in IgA2 that might reflect increased immune response as a possible result of the microbial stimulation seen in the acute phase in comparison to the remission period. IgA plays an important role in the pathogenesis of RAU and it can be used as a parameter to assess the mucosal immune status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Barwala, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Ramandeep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saluja
authors.forename: Alka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hallikerimath