SALIVARY IMMUNOGLOBULIN-A IN CHILDREN - I S THERE A CORRELATION TO AGE OR RESPIRATORY-DISEASES

Immunoglobulin A (IEA) plays an essential role in the local defence me chanism and is part of the immunologic system. It is transported to th e endothelial surface either as a monomer or as a dimer of two molecul es of IgA connected by a j-chain and attached to a secretory component . The aim of the present study was to assess the relation of salivary IgA to the age of children and to assess a possible influence by acute and chronic respiratory diseases. IgA was measured in the saliva of a ltogether 230 children by means of radial immunodiffusion (LC-IgA Part igen, Behring) following a standardised protocol. Relation to age was measured in 159 healthy children aged one month to 15 years. The media n of IgA was 36 mg/l with a range of 3.5 - 291 mg/l. There was no stat istically significant relationship between salivary IgA and the age of the children. Median IgA in the saliva of children without any respir atory disorders (n = 169) was 36 mg/l (3.5 - 291 mg/l), of children wi th acute respiratory diseases (n = 33) 51 mg/l (3.5 - 257 mg/l) and of children with chronic respiratory diseases (n = 28) 47 mg/l (3.5 - 16 5 mg/l). Then was no statistically significant difference between thes e three groups. In conclusion the results of this study show that IgA in the saliva of children may not be related to age or influenced by a cute or chronic respiratory diseases.