Abstract
Background/aimThe serum immunoglobulin levels are used routinely in clinical practice because they provide key information on the humoral immune status. This study aimed to determine the age-related reference values of serum immunoglobulin levels in healthy children.Materials and methodsA total of 330 healthy children, aged between 0 and 18 years, were included in this study. The serum immunoglobulin levels were measured using a nephelometric method in a total of 11 groups, each group consisting of 30 individuals, and IgG subclasses in 6 groups of children aged more than 2 years. ResultsThe serum IgG levels were high during the newborn period, decreased until the sixth month, and again increased to a maximum level at the age of 18 years. The level of IgA was found to be extremely low in the newborn period and then increased with age. While the lowest value was in the newborn period for serum IgM level, the highest value was in the 16- to 18-year-old period. The IgG subclasses varied depending on the age groups.ConclusionThe updated reference intervals of immunoglobulin levels in children may be used for the accurate diagnosis of immune deficiencies.
Highlights
The serum immunoglobulin levels are the most important screening tests for determining primary and secondary immunodeficiencies [1]
The serum immunoglobulin levels were measured using a nephelometric method in a total of 11 groups, each group consisting of 30 individuals, and IgG subclasses in 6 groups of children aged more than 2 years
The serum IgG levels were high during the newborn period, decreased until the sixth month, and again increased to a maximum level at the age of 18 years
Summary
The serum immunoglobulin levels are the most important screening tests for determining primary and secondary immunodeficiencies [1] They are important in evaluating different clinical conditions such as autoimmune diseases and chronic liver diseases [2,3]. Reference ranges according to age for immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM) and IgG subclass concentrations (IgGSc) vary depending on the region, source population, applied method, and time For this reason, these values need to be updated for an accurate diagnosis in the same ethnic group and same region. Primary immune deficiencies form a group of more than 350 diseases that affect the development and/or function of the immune system and are characterized by susceptibility to infections, autoimmune diseases and malignancy, and inherited gene defects They are classified into nine different groups according to the component of the immune system that they affect [4].
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