IgE antibodies to human growth hormone prior to and during treatment

Abstract

Abstract. Clinical manifestations of allergy to biosynthetic hGH were not reported in 245 patients treated for one year. A sensitive radioallergosorbent test showed, however, the presence of anti-hGH IgE antibodies in the sera of 13%. All patients with anti-hGH IgE had also elevated concentrations of total serum IgE, similar to atopic persons (2459 ± 147 μg/l, normal 70 ± 8, 2p < 0.0001); 83% of all patients who had specific IgE antibodies to hGH had specific antibodies prior to treatment. Administration of hGH did not consistently change concentrations (up to 8 μg/l or affinities (< 107 to 1.3 × 109 l/mol) of the specific reagins. Anti-hGH IgE antibodies were related to atopy. Treatment with biosynthetic hGH did not significantly stimulate specific IgE.