What do igg and igm mean

A low level of IgA increases the chance of developing an autoimmune disease. Low levels of IgG occur in macroglobulinemia. In this disease, the high levels of IgM antibodies stop the growth of cells that make IgG. Other conditions that can cause low levels of IgG include some types of leukemia and a type of kidney damage nephrotic syndrome.

In rare cases some people are born with a lack of IgG antibodies. These people are more likely to develop infections. Low levels of IgM occur in multiple myeloma, some types of leukemia, and in some inherited types of immune diseases.

Low levels of IgE can occur in a rare inherited disease that affects muscle coordination ataxia-telangiectasia. What Affects the Test Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include: Taking certain medicines.

Be sure your doctor knows all of the medicines you take. Some medicines that affect test results include ones used for birth control, heart failure, seizures, and rheumatoid arthritis. Having cancer treatments, both radiation and chemotherapy. Receiving a blood transfusion in the past 6 months. Getting vaccinations immunizations , especially vaccinations with repeat booster doses, in the past 6 months.

Using alcohol or illegal drugs. Having had a radioactive scan in the past 3 days. What To Think About Immunoglobulins are made specific to different illnesses. For example, the IgM antibody for mononucleosis is different than the IgM for herpes.

For this reason, a doctor can look for an immunoglobulin to a specific illness to help diagnose that illness. Different antibodies can be used to help a doctor tell the difference between a new and past infection. For example, IgM antibodies for mononucleosis with or without IgG antibodies means a new mono infection. IgG antibodies without IgM means a past mono infection. People with very low immunoglobulin levels, especially IgA, IgG, and IgM, have a higher chance of developing an infection.

A very small number of people cannot make IgA and have a higher chance of developing a potentially life-threatening reaction to a blood transfusion. An immunoglobulin test is often done when the results of a blood protein electrophoresis or total blood protein test are abnormal. Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests , 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th ed. Louis: Saunders. Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed.

Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. Louis: Mosby Elsevier. Locations Main Campus. Satellite Locations. Emergency Care. Urgent Care. Safe Sleep Practices. Pay Your Bill. Financial Assistance. Medical Records. About Us Who We Are. Patient Stories. Get Involved. Health Alerts: Coronavirus.

Health Library. Flu Information. Nutrition Videos. Injury Prevention. Community Health Needs Assessment. The five subclasses of antibodies are: Immunoglobulin A IgA , which is found in high concentrations in the mucous membranes, particularly those lining the respiratory passages and gastrointestinal tract, as well as in saliva and tears.

Immunoglobulin G IgG , the most abundant type of antibody, is found in all body fluids and protects against bacterial and viral infections. To do that, a health professional will:. Sometimes immunoglobulin tests can be done with a "fingerstick" test. The health professional will clean your child's finger, then prick the tip of it with a tiny needle or lancet to collect the blood. In babies, blood draws are sometimes done as a "heel stick collection. Collecting a sample of blood is only temporarily uncomfortable and can feel like a quick pinprick.

Parents usually can stay with their child during a blood test. Encourage your child to relax and stay still because tensing muscles can make it harder to draw blood. Your child might want to look away when the needle is inserted and the blood is collected.

Help your child to relax by taking slow deep breaths or singing a favorite song. Most blood tests take just a few minutes. Sometimes, it can be hard to find a vein, so the health professional may need to try more than once. The health professional will remove the elastic band and the needle and cover the area with cotton or a bandage to stop the bleeding. Afterward, there may be some mild bruising, which should go away in a few days.

It may take a few days for the results to be available. If the test results show signs of a problem, the doctor might order other tests to figure out what the problem is and how to treat it.

Subjects must have the ability to understand the requirements of the study, provide informed consent, and provide authorization of use and disclosure of personal health information. Hospitalized at the time of consent or recently discharged with leftover blood stored at hospital laboratory Exclusion Criteria: Impaired cognitive or decision-making capacity based on the clinical judgment of the PI or designee. Contacts and Locations. Information from the National Library of Medicine To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials. Layout table for location contacts Contact: Kathryn Miller kathryn. Haddad MD Inc. More Information. National Library of Medicine U. National Institutes of Health U. Department of Health and Human Services.