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Are there any clinical indications for measuring IgG subclasses?
G A Maguire1, D S Kumararatne, H J Joyce
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QR, UK. gam1004@cam.ac.uk
Annals of Clinical Biochemistry
|July 16, 2002
Summary
Low immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass concentrations do not reliably identify disease risk. Measuring antibodies to specific bacterial antigens is a more accurate method for identifying individuals at risk of infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses are sometimes measured to assess immune status.
- The clinical significance of isolated low IgG subclass levels remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate whether isolated low concentrations of IgG subclasses indicate a disease state or identify individuals at risk.
- To compare the diagnostic utility of IgG subclass measurements versus antibody measurements against specific bacterial antigens.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on IgG subclass deficiencies and their association with disease.
- Comparison of diagnostic criteria for identifying individuals at risk of infection.
Main Results:
- Isolated deficiencies of IgG(1), IgG(3), and IgG(4) subclasses are not consistently associated with disease states.
- Low IgG(2) concentration is linked to increased bacterial infection risk in only a subset of individuals.
- Low serum antibody concentrations against specific bacterial antigens (e.g., Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcus) effectively identify at-risk individuals.
Conclusions:
- Isolated low IgG subclass levels are not reliable indicators of disease or infection risk.
- Measuring serum antibody concentrations against specific bacterial antigens is a superior method for identifying individuals susceptible to infections.