Serum immunoglobulin levels in splenectomized Hodgkin patients and in subjects following post-traumatic splenectomy.

Mean serum immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) in splenectomized Hodgkin's disease patients in remission were compared with a control group of splenectomized healthy subjects following trauma. The controls showed a higher IgA and lower IgM than the normal. The IgM of the Hodgkin's group were decreased below the normal but showed no difference from the control group. IgA and IgG levels were not significantly different from the levels in the splenectomized healthy subjects. These results suggest that changes in immunoglobulins in splenectomized Hodgkin patients could be attributed to the effect of the removal of the spleen.