Immunoglobulin levels, immunodeficiency and HLA in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

In 129 patients with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, 100 healthy control subjects and 91 non-diabetic first degree relatives of Type 1 patients, we investigated variation in serum IgA, IgG and IgM concentrations with sex and HLA-B phenotype. Two patients with onset before the age of 15 years were completely IgA-deficient. One additional patient was completely IgG-deficient. Excluding these three cases, diabetic patients had serum IgA and IgM concentrations comparable to control subjects. IgG levels of patients were, however, significantly lower than those of control subjects (11.66 versus 12.69 g/l, p = 0.003). Non-diabetic first degree relatives of patients had IgG levels intermediate between those of diabetic patients and control subjects. There was some indication that IgA concentrations were lower in the 53 patients with HLA-B8 (1.91 versus 2.21 g/l, p = 0.038). No association was found between IgM or IgG levels and HLA phenotypes.