Humoral immune response in children with drepanocytosis

• Main Authors: Yordan Benítez-Quesada, Enelis Reyes-Reyes, Rosa María Santos-Fernández
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Las Tunas 2018-10-01
• Series: Revista Electrónica Dr. Zoilo E. Marinello Vidaurreta
• Subjects: hemoglobinopathies; immunoglobulins; antigens; anemia.
• Online Access: http://revzoilomarinello.sld.cu/index.php/zmv/article/view/1536

<p><strong>Background</strong>: sickle-cell anemia or drepanocytosis, the main hemoglobinopathy in the province of Las Tunas, is characterized by hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusive crisis and alterations of the immune system.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Objective</strong>: to characterize the humoral immune response in children with this disease, treated at the "Mártires de Las Tunas" Provincial Pediatric Hospital, in the years 2015 and 2016.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: a descriptive, observational study was carried out in a universe made up of all the patients seen at the department of hematology of the aforementioned hospital and during the period of time stated in the objective. The sample consisted of 15 children with a diagnosis of sickle-cell anemia, at a basal sate of the disease. The following variables were assessed: age groups; immunoglobulins G (IgG), A (IgA), M (IgM); C3 and C4 proteins and C-reactive protein (CRP). Descriptive statistics was used for the analysis of the data.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results</strong>: the mean values for C3 and C4 were within normal ranges (C3: 0,98 ± 0,26 and C4: 0,21 ± 0,09). The degree of dispersion was due to individual alterations, predominant in children under ten years of age: seven patients with low C4 (46,6 %), two of them were simultaneous with low C3 levels and positive CRP, while one patient showed only positive CRP and one showed high figures of C4. C-reactive protein was positive in five patients (33,3 %). An increase in the response of IgG and IgM antibodies was detected, evident in extreme age groups (under five years and older than ten years).<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: the quantitative alterations in immunoglobulins, proinflammatory proteins C3, C4 and C reactive protein, related to the age of the patient, direct to immunological activity, associated with recurrent infections and with the inflammation that characterizes drepanocytosis.<strong></strong></p>