Studies of immunoglobulinl levels in disease become popular in the mid and late 1960´s . and there have been many investigation of immunoglobulin alteration in hepatic disorders. More sensitive methodes for detecting hepatitis B virus (H-BV) antigen ( HBBAg) are developed. As a result, it has provided higher incidence of HBV carriers. Several investigators have reported that serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) value is much higher in acute viral hepatitis.
The purpose of this study is earlydetection of acute viral hepatitis among
IiBsAg positive patients and recognition of present illness from past history by
determination of serum immunoglobulin along with conventional liver function tests.
The auther have done serum immunoglobulin in 50 cases of HBBAg positive patients who visited to EWUH with symptoms during the period, March to Oct-;ober 1981. Diagnosis of those patients was made on the basis of symptom, liver function test, and histologic liver biopsy.
The results are summerized as follow ;
1, Mean values (2 SD) of IgG, IgA, IgM in HBBAg positive acute viral hepatitis are 1676 349 mg %, 294 165 mg % , and 229 134mg % .
2. Immunoglobulin M levels in approximately 84 % of all HBBAg positive ac-
ute viral hepatitis are significantly higher than other hepatic disease.
3. Immunoglobulin G level is significantly higher in liver cirrhosis and hep-
atoma, and immunoglobulin A level is higher in chronic hepatitis, while
immunoglobulin M is higher in acute viral hepatitis than normal. -- -
4. The relationship between immunoglobulin levels and liver enzme generally reveals that the higher the enzyme level, the higher the IgM level and the lower the enzyme level, the higher the IgG and IgA.
In conclusion, Immunoglobulin M levels in HBsAg positive acute viral hepatitis cases are significantly high, therefore, it could be a good indicator of not only differentiating present illness from the past history, but also differentiating acute viral hepatitis from other hepatic disease.
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