Circulating Immune Complexes in Cases Receiving Immunotherapy

Authors: Esen AKKAYA, Adnan YILMAZ, Turan KARAGÖZ, Ateş BARAN, Mualla PARTAL, 0kşan GÜNER, Ahmet AKAKÇA, Cengiz GÜNEY

Abstract: The increase in blocking antibody levels due to immunotherapy may lead to adverse effects, producing immune complexes. We investigated immune complexes in the bloodstream of 45 patients with bronchial Asthma, thirty of which were receiving immunotherapy and the rest who had been receiving pharmacologic therapy. We included a control group of 15 normal subjects. The standard of the kit was 0.96 µgEq/ml (Bühlmann Lab. A. G. Switzerland). 0nly one patient (3.3%) among the IT receiving group showed a slight increase in bloodstream immune complexes (1µgEq/ml). In all cases, levels of IgG, IgE, IgA, IgM, and C3 were examined as well as anti-DNA and rheumatoid factors. No pathological abnormality was detected. Protein electrophoresis in all cases was in normal ranges. Crygolobulin was not detected, nor was proteinuria. Coomb's test gave negative results in all cases. Although there are relevant data supporting the IT role in circulating immune complexes and immune complex disease, we obtained no positive findings in our IT receiving patients.

Keywords: Allergy, asthma, rhinitis, immunotherapy, immune complexes.