[Immunologic function in children with recurrent respiratory infections evaluated in a state of well-being]

The purpose of the study is to analise the immunological function of children suffering from RRI long after the last episode in order to evaluate whether the immunological abnormalities reported by several authors have to be considered implicated in the pathogenesis or the mere consequence of recurrent infections. 65 children who had been suffering from RRI in the previous winter (s) have been studied during the wellbeing condition of the following summer season. A defective T cell function was no longer found; the study of humoral immunity showed low values of IgA even though no child had an IgA selective deficiency (IgA below 5 mg% ml). These data suggest that T cell defective function has to be considered mainly secondary to infections. It is conceivable that in these children the recovery of T cell function is impaired by viral infections and is somewhat slower. On the other hand low values of IgA have been detected in a higher percentage with respect to the general population and could be considered typically associated with the RRI syndrome in children.