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IgG levels do not normally change because of lifestyle activities. For adults, then the deficiency must have a specific cause and specific testing to determine those causes will be ordered as a follow-up. In newborns, it may just be an indication that the child’s immune system has yet to kick in and begin working. When IgG levels are low, a person’s exposure to infection development is higher. What You Need to Know About the IgG Blood Test CVID, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and SCID are all possible diagnostic options for a medical provider. They may affect levels of all immunoglobulin classes or just affect the IgG class.
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Burns, digestive disorders, and nephrotic syndrome which causes proteins to be removed through the urine may also cause low results.Ĭertain inherited immune disorders have also been known to cause low results on the IgG blood test, but these disorders are rather rare. It may also be because of diabetes, kidney failure, or a transient delay in production if the test was conducted on a newborn. Medications and other conditions that artificially lower immunoglobin levels are the most common cause of this result. Most low results on this blood test are because of an acquired condition. Extra cells may even be monoclonal, which means they are clones of just one plasma cell. A hyperimmunization reaction may also cause this type of result. If all three immunoglobulins have high results, then this can be because of an infection, an autoimmune disorder, or inflammatory disorders. When an increase in just IgG is seen, then this is typically due to leukemia, multiple myeloma, or lymphoma. High results are seen with a number of different conditions. Abnormal results generally result in additional testing to determine a specific need because it can provide strong indications of disease or a specific condition, but not a definitive result. If the results come back as abnormal, then this is an indication that there is something within the body that is currently affecting the immune system. Most medical providers will evaluate three immunoglobulin blood tests at the same time: IgG, IgA, and IgM levels are will usually be tested together. The most common reason why this test is ordered is because of a medical history that includes several opportunistic infections that do not seem to generate a proper response from the body. If there is a family history of immunodeficiency, then a medical provider may order the test on a routine basis to track health development. The IgG blood test can also be used as a tracking mechanism to determine the effectiveness of a treatment plan. Chronic inflammation of an unknown cause may also have a medical provider order this test. Chronic diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal symptoms may also be caused by a problem with IgG levels in the blood. The symptoms of such a deficiency may include recurrent infections, especially in the sinuses and lungs. This blood test is generally ordered when an immunoglobulin deficiency is suspected. When Will Doctors Order the IgG Blood Test? The IgG blood test is often ordered in conjunction with urine protein tests and other serum tests to help determine a specific diagnosis.
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They target specific invasion threats so that viruses, bacteria, and other micro-organisms cannot cause harm. Immunoglobulins are often better known as “antibodies.” They are proteins that are produced by a body’s plasma cells. This test can also be used to help diagnose certain health conditions or diseases that affect IgG levels. This information gives medical providers an idea of a patient’s overall health in regards to their immune system. The IgG blood test is used to detect either a deficiency or an extra amount of immunoglobulins that are in the blood.
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