Friday, February, 10, 2012

Quantitative immunoglobulins - nephelometry

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Quantitative immunoglobulins


Normal Values
  • IgG: 560 to 1800 mg/dL
  • IgM: 45 to 250 mg/dL
  • IgA: 100 to 400 mg/dL

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.


What abnormal results mean

Increased levels of IgG may indicate the following:

  • Chronic infection or inflammation
  • Hyperimmunization
  • IgG multiple myeloma
  • Liver disease
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

Decreased levels of IgG may indicate the following:

  • Agammaglobulinemia (very rare)
  • Leukemia
  • Myeloma
  • Preeclampsia

Increased levels of IgM may indicate the following:

  • Infectious mononucleosis
  • Lymphoma
  • Macroglobulinemia
  • Myeloma
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

Decreased levels of IgM may indicate the following:

  • Agammaglobulinemia (very rare)
  • Leukemia
  • Myeloma

Increased levels of IgA may indicate the following:

  • Chronic infections, especially involving the gastrointestinal tract
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Myeloma

Decreased levels of IgA may indicate the following:

  • Agammaglobulinemia (very rare)
  • Hereditary IgA deficiency
  • Myeloma
  • Protein-losing gastroenteropathy

Images

Review Date: 06/02/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)