Symptoms Of Selective IgA Deficiency And Related Conditions

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A selective IgA deficiency patient is more likely to develop or be affected by inflammatory bowel disease than a healthy individual. Inflammatory bowel disease is a condition characterized by chronic digestive tract inflammation, and it is often separated into ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Both forms of inflammatory bowel disease cause a patient to experience abdominal pain and cramping, severe diarrhea, unintended weight loss, and fatigue. Inflammation in the intestinal tract develops when there is a breach in the protective mucus layer that lines the interior of the intestines.

Furthermore, the patient's immune system can attack its own digestive tissues and produce such breach and inflammatory process in the intestinal linings. Individuals affected by selective IgA deficiency have mucous membranes exposed to damage because the deficient immunoglobulin A is a critical component in mucus. The mucus layer is intended to protect the inside of the mouth, stomach, lungs, vagina, and intestines. This protection is diminished in selective IgA deficiency patients, putting them at a higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.