Distribution of the immunoglobulins G, A and M in the prostatic fluid of patients with prostatitis

Abstract

1. 1. The immunoglobulins G, A and M were determined in the prostatic fluid obtained from healthy normal men and from a group suffering from prostatitis. 2. 2. There were marked elevations in all three immunoglobulins in the pathological cases compared to the reference population. When the cases were divided into resolved and unresolved prostatitis it was seen that the symptomfree group still had elevated IgA and IgM. 3. 3. Patients with bacterial prostatitis tend to have higher immunoglobulin levels during the active stage of the disease and to revert to normal levels when symptom-free, while those in the non-bacterial group exhibit smaller, but highly significant, responses in immunoglobulins, but do not return to normal values. 4. 4. It is suggested that the findings support the view that prostatitis is a definite clinical entity and provide evidence suggestive of an autoimmune process in some cases of prostatitis.