[Changes in the level of urinary secretory immunoglobulin A in patients with recurrent pyelonephritis]

The urine concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A was studied in 58 healthy persons (26 women and 32 men) and in 55 patients (44 women and 11 men) with chronic recurrent pyelonephritis before the beginning of the antibacterial treatment. An immunoenzyme method on a solid phase was used (ELISA). In 21 patients a lowered urine secretory immunoglobulin A level (IgA) was found, in 19 patients it was elevated and in 15 patients it was in normal ranges. In the group of patients with an elevated secretory IgA level the antibacterial treatment was successful in 89.5% of the patients while in the group of patients with a lowered secretory IgA level the treatment was successful only in 61.9% of the patients. In 12 patients the secretory IgA level was examined after the treatment and in 72.7% of them it was changed--in 38.2% of the patients the level was lowered and in 34.5% of the patients it was elevated. The local immune response of the organism against infections is discussed.