Disordered Immune Function in Patients with Polyglandular Failure

A standard assessment of immunity was accomplished in 15 patients with the polyglandular failure syndrome and compared to similar studies in appropriate healthy controls. The patients exhibited decreased delayed cutaneous responsiveness and increased serum levels of immunoglobulins G and A. Complement fixing antibody titers to a number of common viruses were equivalen to those observed in controls, but titers to Coxsackie B4 and B5 viruses were decreased in patients. The decreased antibody titers to Coxsackie B4 and B5 represent an alteration in host protection which is of possible importance in the etiology of polyglandular failure.