What is quantitative immunoglobulin?
doctors measure the amount of proteins disturbing immunity in the human body with a blood test called quantitative nephelometry. Specifically, the test detects levels for three different immunoglobulins or antibodies that are commonly referred to by IgA, IgG and IGM. If deficiencies or surpluses are recorded for any of the three quantitative immunoglobulin levels, this could indicate any number of conditions or diseases.
The functional immune system naturally produces a number of antibodies needed to combat most antigens that the body has encountered throughout life, from bacterial infections and cancer to toxic substances and other foreign matter. However, many conditions or diseases may face this system, such as autoimmune syndrome of immunodeficiency (AIDS), lupus, multiple sclerosis, chronic thyroid disease and even arthritis. These are some of the conditions that quantitative immunoglobulin test seeks to identify.
When a quantitative test of immunoglobuliinodHalping normal results, that is, all three antibodies are present at the prescribed levels. This means that IgA is between 100 and 400 mg/dl, IgG is 560 to 1,800 mg/dl and IGM is 45 to 250 mg/dl. This shows that the body is likely to deploy the right antibodies nut to prevent it in a healthy way. When patients have levels above or below one of the three ranges, a key step was taken to help the physician determine whether they have a disorder that needs treatment.
When IgA levels are too high or too low, this could lead to digestive problems. Infections, irritable colon syndrome, myeloma or any other disease in the digestive tract are potential suspects. On the other hand, two other antibody measurements mean different things depending on whether the level is too high or too low.
with IgG, low levels on quantitative immunoglobulin test could meanLeukemia, Myeloma and Preeclampsia. However, IGG increases could mean the onset of other serious conditions such as infection, liver disease or chronic arthritis. High and low levels of IgM, similarly point to different conditions: lymphon, arthritis or monomucleosis, if high; Leukemia, myeloma and other rare conditions if they are low.
Because some conditions are manifested with a decrease or increase in more than one antibody that is measured by quantitative immunoglobulin test, doctors and laboratory technicians examine each level individually and as a group to make more diagnoses. In many cases, patients are given quantitative immunoglobulin test when they suffer from chronic infection. This may lead to a doctor to suspect that the patient suffers from a condition that threatens the immune system.