Serum Immunoglobulin and Complement Profiles in Bronchial Asthma in Libyans

Serum immunoglobulin and complement profiles were studied in 48 patients with bronchial asthma (BA) and in 26 healthy Libyans as controls (CS). Of the 48 patients, 26 were extrinsic (BA-E) and 22 were intrinsic (BA-I) asthmatics. In CS, 96% had normal levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) (•Mean ± + 2 SD: 134 iu/ml) and immunoglobulin D (IgD) •Mean ± 2SD: 2.7 mg/dl). Only 4% of CS had abnormal IgE (> 134 iu/ml) and IgD (>2.7 mg/dl levels. On the contrary, majority of patients had elevated levels of both IgE (> 134 iu/ml: 71% BA, 81% BA-E, 59% BA-I) and IgD (>2.7 mg/dl: 78% BA, 88% BA-E, 63% BA-I). However, some patients had normal levels of both IgE (•134 iu/ml: 29% BA, 19% BA-E, 41% BA-I) and IgD (•2.7 mg/dl: 22% BA, 12% BA-E, 37% BA-I) and yet they were asthmatics. The chi square (2) test revealed that these distributions of patients in relation to normal and abnormal levels of IgE and IgD were significant as compared to CS. The majority of asthmatic attacks may therefore be explained as due to IgE-mediated mechanisms and the rest possibly due to other mechanisms. The probable role for elevated serum IgD as antiidiotypic (anti-IgE) antibody was discussed in the light of knowledge currently available in this are of research.