Biomaterial Database

Impaired humoral immunity in treated Hodgkin's disease. 1977

S A Weitzman, and A C Aisenberg, and G R Siber, and D H Smith

To define the contribution of aggressive lymphoma treatment to the risk of post-splenectomy septicemia, we investigated the humoral immunity of 44 patients with Hodgkin's disease. Specific antibody against Haemophilus influenzae Type b was significantly reduced (mean, 147 ng per milliliter, P less than 0.01) in patients receiving combined treatment (radiotherapy and chemotherapy), whereas single treatment reduced titers marginally (chemotherapy) or not at all (radiotherapy). Untreated patients had normal values (396 ng per milliliter), and splenectomy was without effect. In some patients who received combined treatment, titers were reduced to levels seen in infants. IgM levels were likewise normal in untreated patients. Chemotherapy, however, significantly reduced IgM levels (P less than 0.025), an effect potentiated by prior splenectomy. IgG, IgA, alternate-pathway activity, C3, C4 and CH50 were all normal or elevated. Aggressive treatment with chemotherapy and radiation impairs humoral defense against encapsulated micro-organisms, and thus magnifies the risk of post-splenectomy septicemia in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007075	Immunoglobulin M	A class of immunoglobulin bearing mu chains (IMMUNOGLOBULIN MU-CHAINS). IgM can fix COMPLEMENT. The name comes from its high molecular weight and originally was called a macroglobulin.	Gamma Globulin, 19S,IgM,IgM Antibody,IgM1,IgM2,19S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgM
D007153	Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes	Syndromes in which there is a deficiency or defect in the mechanisms of immunity, either cellular or humoral.	Antibody Deficiency Syndrome,Deficiency Syndrome, Immunologic,Deficiency Syndromes, Antibody,Deficiency Syndromes, Immunologic,Immunologic Deficiency Syndrome,Immunological Deficiency Syndromes,Antibody Deficiency Syndromes,Deficiency Syndrome, Antibody,Deficiency Syndrome, Immunological,Deficiency Syndromes, Immunological,Immunological Deficiency Syndrome,Syndrome, Antibody Deficiency,Syndrome, Immunologic Deficiency,Syndrome, Immunological Deficiency,Syndromes, Antibody Deficiency,Syndromes, Immunologic Deficiency,Syndromes, Immunological Deficiency
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011135	Polysaccharides, Bacterial	Polysaccharides found in bacteria and in capsules thereof.	Bacterial Polysaccharides
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D003165	Complement System Proteins	Serum glycoproteins participating in the host defense mechanism of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION that creates the COMPLEMENT MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX. Included are glycoproteins in the various pathways of complement activation (CLASSICAL COMPLEMENT PATHWAY; ALTERNATIVE COMPLEMENT PATHWAY; and LECTIN COMPLEMENT PATHWAY).	Complement Proteins,Complement,Complement Protein,Hemolytic Complement,Complement, Hemolytic,Protein, Complement,Proteins, Complement,Proteins, Complement System
D005260	Female		Females
D006192	Haemophilus Infections	Infections with bacteria of the genus HAEMOPHILUS.	Hemophilus Infections,Haemophilus influenzae Infection,Haemophilus influenzae Type b Infection,Hib Infection,Infections, Haemophilus,Infections, Hemophilus,Haemophilus Infection,Haemophilus influenzae Infections,Hemophilus Infection,Hib Infections,Infection, Haemophilus,Infection, Haemophilus influenzae,Infection, Hemophilus,Infection, Hib
D006193	Haemophilus influenzae	A species of HAEMOPHILUS found on the mucous membranes of humans and a variety of animals. The species is further divided into biotypes I through VIII.	Bacterium influenzae,Coccobacillus pfeifferi,Haemophilus meningitidis,Hemophilus influenzae,Influenza-bacillus,Mycobacterium influenzae