Serum immunoglobulin levels in relation to levels of specific antibodies in allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplant recipients

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of tota l levels of immunoglobulins to levels of specific antibodies after allogene ic and autologous bone marrow transplantation. Autologous transplant patien ts had normal levels of IgA and IgG antibodies already at 6 months after tr ansplantation. In allogeneic transplanted patients without chronic graft ve rsus host disease the immunological recovery was-slower. The IgA and IgG le vels were at the limit for deficiency at 6 months after transplantation. In allogeneic transplant patients with chronic chronic graft-versus host dise ase the immunological recovery was delayed further. The total IgG levels we re low at 12 months after transplantation and the IgG subclass pattern did not normalize until 24 months after trans plantation. IgA levels remained l ow at 24 months after transplantation in all allogeneic transplanted patien ts with chronic chronic graft versus host disease. Protective levels of spe cific antibodies against tetanus and pneumococci decreased during the first year after transplantation regardless of the total immunoglobulin levels, regardless of the donors immunity. Pneumococcal antibodies decreased only i n allogeneic transplanted patients, although autologous transplant patients retained pretransplant immunity against pneumococci. There was no differen ce in levels of specific antibodies between patients with and without chron ic chronic graft versus host disease at 12 months after transplantation. Th ere was no correlation between total immunoglobulin levels to levels of spe cific antibodies against tetanus and pneumococci after transplantation in o ur study. Taken together, normalized immunoglobulinlevels do not predict no rmalization of levels of specific antibodies against tetanus and pneumococc i after transplantation.