Evaluation of cell-mediated and humoral immunity in children suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.

A study of certain parameters of cellular and humoral immunity of 56 children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), treated in Children's Memorial Hospital, was undertaken to explain the observed frequent and serious respiratory tract infections. The main differences between a group of patients and the control group were found in the serum IgA and IgM concentrations, a number of peripheral B cells, and in the response to skin tests. Among all the methods applied, the skin tests seem to provide the best information concerning the child immunity system. The observed abnormalities were almost parallel to the severity of the SMA course.