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IgG2 deficiency in children with febrile convulsions: A familial study

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Abstract

The IgG subclasses were investigated in children with febrile convulsions (FC) and in their first degree relatives in the search for a selective immunological deficiency associated with FC and its occurrence in the relatives of affected subjects. The results of the study show lower IgG2 concentrations in FC patients than in controls. But it was not possible to demonstrate familial transmission of the IgG2 subclass deficiency, since it was present only in children with FC and tended to normalize in adulthood. The immunoglobulin subclass deficiency might be responsible for the recurrent infections connected with FC.

Sommario

Sono state studiate le sottoclassi IgG in bambini con convulsioni febbrili (c.f.) e nei consanguinei di primo grado, allo scopo di identificare un possibile deficit immunologico selettivo associato alla convulsività in febbre, che potrebbe essere dimostrato anche nei consanguinei dei pazienti. I risultati dello studio evidenziano concentrazioni più basse delle IgG2 nei soggetti con c.f. rispetto ai controlli. Non è stato tuttavia possibile dimostrare una familiarità del deficit, poiché questo era presente solo nei bambini con c.f., mentre i valori delle IgG2 si normalizzavano in età adulta. L'alterazione immunologica osservata potrebbe essere responsabile della maggior suscettibilità alle infezioni dei pazienti con c.f.

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Lenti, C., Masserini, C., Barlocco, A. et al. IgG2 deficiency in children with febrile convulsions: A familial study. Ital J Neuro Sci 14, 561–564 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02339215

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