Diagnostic significance of IgA in alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

In order to evaluate the diagnostic significance of IgA in alcoholic liver disease, serum IgA levels, serum polymeric IgA, and IgA deposition in liver tissues were investigated.
Mean serum IgA concentration increased progressively as the liver disease became more severe, and serum IgA levels in alcoholic liver disease were higher than those in non-alcohloic liver disease in any grade of severity of chronic liver disease.
Relative polymeric IgA concentration ratio to total serum IgA (p-IgA/IgA) of both alcoholics and non-alcoholics was higher than that of control subjects, but there was no significant difference between alcoholic and non alcoholic liver disease.
In liver tissues, IgA was localized along the perisinusoidal lining of the liver. Two different staining patterns were recognized: linear and granular.
12 of 20 (60%) liver bidpsy specimens from alcoholic liver injury group showed a linear IgA pattern, while only 4 of 25 (8%) from the non-alcoholic group showed a linear IgA pattern (p<0.05).
From these results, it was suggested that linear IgA deposition in liver tissue is a useful marker for the diagnosis of a1coholic liver injury.