Case report: immunoglobulin A deficiency in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis treated with aspirin.

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In three patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis , serum IgA concentrations were within the normal limit at the onset of disease and before aspirin administration . After aspirin administration , their serum IgA levels gradually decreased . After discontinuation of aspirin , their serum IgA levels gradually increased . These results suggest that IgA deficiency may be due to aspirin administration in such patients . The IgA production in vitro of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a patient taken 3 months of discontinuation of aspirin was markedly inhibited by preincubation with aspirin . Since the patients ' serum IgG and IgM levels hardly changed the heavy chain class switching may be influenced by aspirin through some undefined mechanisms .