Serum IgE in immune deficiency disorders

Abstract

Serum IgE was measured in forty-eight patients with primary and in four patients with secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia. The presence of malabsorption, giardiasis, nodular lymphoid hyperplasia of the small bowel, eczema, drug reactions and depression of cell-mediated immunity was not related to the level of serum IgE. There was no relationship between the concentration of serum IgA, IgM and IgE. Patients experiencing anaphylactic type reactions following gammaglobulin injections did not tend to have a higher serum IgE. Despite very low or unrecordable levels of serum IgG, IgA and IgM, serum IgE was detected in all but three patients.