Abnormalities in the Distribution of Serum Immunoglobulin Concentrations in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

James T. Cassidy; Ross E. Petty; Donita B. Sullivan

doi:10.1172/JCI107377

^{Rackham Arthritis Research Unit, the Pediatric Arthritis Clinic and Rehabilitation Service, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

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^{Rackham Arthritis Research Unit, the Pediatric Arthritis Clinic and Rehabilitation Service, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

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^{Rackham Arthritis Research Unit, the Pediatric Arthritis Clinic and Rehabilitation Service, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

^{Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104}

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Published in Volume 52, Issue 8 on August 1, 1973
J Clin Invest. 1973;52(8):1931–1936. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI107377.
© 1973 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published August 1, 1973 - Version history

Concentrations of serum IgG. IgA, and IgM were determined in 200 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The relative frequency distribution of IgG and IgM approached that of a log-normal curve; however, there was marked skewing of the distribution of the serum concentrations of IgA. The prevalence of selective IgA deficiency was 4%. In order to permit further intragroup comparisons, the serum immunoglobulin concentrations were standardized by comparison to a sex-age matched control group. By this process it was found that there was concordance of the serum levels of IgG with IgA, and IgG with IgM. The standardized concentrations of IgA and IgM were less in females than males. The aberration in distribution of serum IgA concentrations found in this study, and the relative inability of females to respond to their disease by increasing specific serum immunoglobulin levels, add further data supporting the concept of immunodeficiency in the pathogenesis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.