European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

, Volume 27, Issue 1, pp 81–83 | Cite as

The IgA immune system in epileptics on anticonvulsant therapy

  • O. Meissner
  • P. H. Joubert
  • H. F. Joubert
  • C. A. van der Merwe
Originals
Received:
Accepted:

Summary

Disturbances in IgA have often been reported in white epileptics on anticonvulsant therapy. The clinical significance of these disorders is of interest as this aspect does not appear to have been sufficiently explored. In a previous study neither African nor Caucasian epileptics on treatment showed a deficiency of serum IgA. Since secretory IgA is the main defence factor in protecting mucosal surfaces, the object of the present study was simultaneously to determine serum and salivary IgA in suitable subjects and to monitor related clinical events. A similar elevation of salivary IgA level was found in Black and White epileptics on treatment. Clinical events were rare and were not related either to serum or secretory IgA concentrations. It is concluded that at present epileptics do not seem to require special immunological or clinical monitoring.

Key words

epilepsy anticonvulsants immunodefficiency clinical implications serum IgA salivary IgA 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1984

Authors and Affiliations

  • O. Meissner
    • 1
  • P. H. Joubert
    • 1
  • H. F. Joubert
    • 2
  • C. A. van der Merwe
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of Pharmacology and TherapeuticsMedunsaRepublic of South Africa
  2. 2.Department of Chemical PathologyMedunsaRepublic of South Africa
  3. 3.Institute for BiostatisticsTransvaalRepublic of South Africa

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