IgA deficiency in Czech healthy individuals and selected patient groups

Background: Selective IgA deficiency (IgAD) is the most common immunoglobul in deficiency with a variety of clinical manifestations. The frequency of I gAD differs depending on the ethnic origin and clinical symptoms of investi gated persons. Methods: The prevalence of IgAD (serum IgA level <0.05 g/l) was determined in 5,310 Czech blood donors, 10,326 patients who had undergo ne immunological investigation, and 246 first-degree relatives of IgAD and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients. Results: IgAD was detecte d in 13 (1/408; 0.24%) of the blood donors. The prevalence of IgAD was incr eased both in children (48/3,113; 1.5%) and adults (33/3,824; 0.9%) referre d for frequent respiratory tract infections tin both cases p < 0.001) compa red to the healthy population. The frequency of IgAD was 12/189 (6%) in fir st-degree relatives of IgAD patients and 9/57 (16%) in relatives of CVID pa tients, with the highest frequency observed in children of CVID patients. C onclusions: The prevalence of IgAD in the Czech healthy population is compa rable to that in other Caucasians. The frequency is increased in children w ith recurrent respiratory tract infections and especially in relatives of p atients with immunoglobulin deficiencies. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG. Basel.