title: Systemic atopy and immunoglobulin deficiency in Turkish patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of systemic atopy and immunoglobulin (Ig) deficiencies in vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven VKC subjects (79.1% boys) with a mean age of 11.3 ± 4.3 years were included. Serum Ig levels and specific IgE levels were measured using the nephelometric method and reversed enzyme immunoassay with sandwich ELISA technique, respectively. The patients underwent epidermal skin tests with commercial extracts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Family history of atopy and associated systemic allergies were detected in 32.8 and 40.3% of the subjects, respectively. Blood eosinophilia, elevated total, and specific IgE and positive skin tests were detected in 33.8, 42.2, 50, and 35% of the subjects, respectively. Out of 62 subjects, low levels of IgA, IgG, IgM, and IgG3 were detected in 12.9, 8, 6.5, and 1.6% of the patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IgE-mediated mechanisms are involved in approximately 40% of VKC patients. A new finding was the higher incidence of Ig deficiency.
authors: Selcuk University, Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Konya, Turkey. drbanubozkurt@yahoo.com
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Bozkurt
authors: Hasibe
authors: H
authors: Artac
authors: Nasha
authors: N
authors: Arslan
authors: Bahar
authors: B
authors: Gokturk
authors: Mete Kaan
authors: MK
authors: Bozkurt
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Reisli
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Irkec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D017099:IgG Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012882:Skin Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E