Serum immunoglobulins in brain tumours and lumbar disc diseases.

Changes of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations may occur in both brain tumours and lumbar disc diseases (LDD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of pre- and post-operative serum Ig levels in brain tumours and LDDs. Serum IgG, IgA and IgM levels were measured in 127 patients with brain tumour, 100 patients with LDD and 20 healthy subjects without neurological disease. Increases in one or more of the pre-operative serum Ig levels were observed in the patients with both brain tumours and LDDs compared with controls. However pre-operative serum IgG level was highly increased in all brain tumour types and LDDs (p<0.001). Serum IgA levels and IgM levels in the post-operative stage were significantly decreased in patients with acoustic neurinoma (p<0.01, p<0.001, respectively). Post-operative serum IgG, IgA and IgM levels were significantly decreased (p<0.001) in patients with meningioma. Post-operative serum IgG and IgM levels were significantly decreased (p<0.001) in patients with glioma. Patients with LDD showed a significantly decline in post-operative serum IgA and IgM levels (p<0.001). We think that decline in post-operative serum Ig levels may be of prognostic value in the patients with brain tumours and LDDs.