Immune System Disorders in Patients with Scleritis

A large number of abnormalities is present in the immune system of the patients suffering from scleritis of unknown etiology as well as from scleritis associated with other systemic diseases. The aim of the present work was to investigate the level immune parametars in serum patients ( imminoglobin IgG, IgA, IgM, complement-C3, circulating immune complexes CIC, rheumatoid factor RF, antinuclear antibodies ANA) with scleritis and/or associated systemic mediate disease. The first group included 30 patients with scleritis of unknown etiology, the second group included 30 patients with systemic diseases without ocular changes and the third one consisted of 30 patients with scleritis associated with other systemic diseases of connective tissue. Increased IgG was found in 33.3% of the patients in group I and in 66.7% of the patients in groups II and III, with p<0.05. Increased IgM values were found in 13.3% of the patients in group I, 33.3% of the patients in group II and in 53.3% of the patients in group III, showing again statistically significant difference in relation to the control group. Increased serum CIC values were found in 26.7% of the patients in group I, in 46.7% of the patients in group II and in 60% of the total number of subjects in group III; there is statistically significant difference in favour of group with scleritis with associated diseases. Statistically significant negative correlation between serum CIC levels and complement C3 component in the investigated groups was found in the work. No significant difference between CIC levels and RF presence was found in group I, while statistically significant correlation between CIC levels and RF presence was found in group III of the subjects.