title: Autoimmunity-related immunological serum markers and survival in a tertiary care cohort of adult patients with epilepsy.
abstract: We evaluated mortality in relation to a panel of autoimmunity-related immunological serum markers in adult patients with epilepsy (PWE), seen in 1996-1997 at the Department of Neurology, Oulu University Hospital in Finland. Blood samples were drawn from 968 volunteers, and baseline measurements included serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM), and the following antibodies: anticardiolipin, antinuclear, antimitochondrial, antigliadin (IgA and IgG classes), IgA tissue transglutaminase, and IgA endomysial. Hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality in PWE with abnormal immunological markers relative to 413 patients with normal findings were evaluated with adjustment for confounders during a follow-up of nine years. Borderline statistically significant associations were found only for elevated IgA (HR 2.09, 95% CI 0.99-4.42) and for having two or more abnormal antibody titers (HR 1.58, 95% CI 0.98-2.56). The findings of this exploratory study suggested that elevated serum IgA might be associated with excess mortality in PWE.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: olli.nevalainen@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nevalainen
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Pediatric Research Center, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Anssi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Auvinen
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ansakorpi
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; UKK Institute for Health Promotion, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raitanen
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Lundbeck, Deerfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isojärvi
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005903:Gliadin / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005903:Gliadin
keywords: Autoantibodies; Endomysial antibodies; Epilepsy; Immunoglobulin A; Mortality