Alpha-fetoprotein concentrations in sera from epileptic patients with immunodeficiency

The alpha-fetoprotein serum concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay in 22 epileptic patients treated with phenytoin. The concentration was normal in all of the patients. The IgA concentration in serum was below 0.20 g/l in 15 of the patients and normal in 7 (0.60-3.30 g/l). IgG and IgM concentrations were normal. The total number of lymphocytes was significantly reduced in the epileptic patients compared to healthy controls, while the relative percentage of various mononuclear blood cell sub-populations did not differ between the patients and the controls. The response to PHA stimulation was lower in the patients than in the controls for all PHA concentrations tested, the differences, however, were not significant at a 5% level. The results indicate that alpha-fetoprotein does not participate in the pathogenesis of the immune disturbances observed in patients with epilepsy.