Acute rheumatic fever: an immunological profile

Serum immunoglobulins [IgG, IgM and IgA] and complement components [C3 and C4] were assessed in 111 patients with acute rheumatic fever "RF", 30 patients with acute streptococcal tonsillitis "ST", 20 patients with poststreptococcal glomerulonephntis "PSGN", and 50 healthy control group. All immunoglobulins were significantly increased in patients with acute RF, compared to the significant increase of IgG and IgM in those with PSGN, and IgG in those with acute ST. Complement component C3 and C4 were significantly increased in patients with acute RF, while they were significantly decreased in patients with PSGN. Maximum rise of IgG, IgM, C3 and C4 was observed in patients with pure arthritis, while maximum rise in IgA was observed in those with pure carditis. A discussion was made in this study to verify the sgnificance of the above mentioned data and their role in the pathogenesis of acute RF and individual rheumatic manifestations

Rheumatic heart disease: a profile of serum immunoglobulins and complements

Sera [From 72 patients with rheumatic heart disease [RHD], 20 patients with non rheumatic heart disease [NRHD], and 30 healthy individuals were examined for estimation of immunoglobulins [IgG, IgM, and IgA] together with com plement components [C3 and C4] levels. AII serum immunoglobulins and C3 component were significantly elevated in patients with RHD compared with healthy individuals. More significant rise of immunoglobulins and C3 component [levels was observed in patients with recurrence of rheumatic activity [RR] compared with RHD patients and healthy individuals. No statistically significant difference in C4 complement component level was observed between RHD, NRHD, and RR patients as compared with healthy individuals. Although, there was no statistically significant difference in any of the serum immunoglobuhns nor complement components between patients with subacute bacterial endocarditis [SBE] and healthy individuals, yet those patients had significantly reduced lgG and C3 levels as compared with RHD patients