Studies on Some Serum Immunoglobulin Levels in Heart Failure Subjects in Owerri Imo State

Studies on some serum immunoglobulin levels in heart failure subjects in Owerri, Imo state was carried out. Heart failure has a high risk of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria, there is need to study, if there are alterations in antibody response. A total of 60 subjects within the age 25-65 years were recruited for this study. The study comprised of 30 subjects who were diagnosed of heart failure consisting of 15 males and 15 females, 30 were apparently healthy individuals who served as controls subjects. Immunoglobulin M, G and E was analysed using ELISA technique. Data was assessed using SPSS version 20, the mean value with P˂ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The serum level of immunoglobulin M in heart failure subjects (0.22±0.14µg/ml) was statistically significantly lower (P=0.001) when compared with control subjects (1.50±1.95). The serum level of immunoglobulin G and E of heart failure subjects (5.17±1.10mg/ml and 0.24±0.12µg/ml) was statistically significantly lower (P=0.000) than that of the control (9.27±1.67mg/ml and 0.74±0.16 µg/ml).The mean value of Immunoglobulin M of female heart failure subjects (0.25±0.14 µg/ml) was not statistically significantly higher (P=0.121) than the male heart failure subjects (0.18±0.14 µg/ml).The mean value of Immunoglobulin G in female heart failure subjects (5.09±1.43mg/ml) was not statistically significantly lower (P=0.666) when compared with male heart failure subjects (5.24±0.68mg/ml). The mean value of Immunoglobulin E in female heart failure subjects (0.26±0.11µg/ml) was higher which is not statistically significant (P=0.373) when compared with male heart failure subjects (0.22±0.13 µg/ml). In conclusion, reduced serum level of IgM, IgG and IgE in heart failure subjects may be due to some humoral immunodeficiency which occurs as a result of insufficient number of circulatory B cells to differentiate into antibodies.