Clinical Information

The most abundant immunoglobulin isotype in human serum is immunoglobulin G (IgG). IgG immunoglobulins are comprised of 4 subclasses designated IgG1 through IgG4. Of total IgG, approximately 65% is IgG1, 25% is IgG2, 6% is IgG3, and 4% is IgG4. Each IgG subclass contains structurally unique portions of the constant region of the gamma heavy chain.

IgG subclass 4-related disease is a recently recognized syndrome of unknown etiology most often occurring in middle-aged and older men. Several organ systems can be involved and encompasses many previous and newly described diseases such as type1 autoimmune pancreatitis; Mikulicz disease and sclerosing sialadenitis; inflammatory orbital psuedotumor; chronic sclerosing aortitis; Riedel thyroiditis, a subset of Hashimoto thyroiditis; IgG4-related interstitial pneumonitis; and IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis. Each of these entities is characterized by tumorlike swelling of the involved organs with infiltrative, predominately IgG4-positive, plasma cells with accompanying "storiform" fibrosis. In addition, elevated serum concentrations of IgG4 are found in 60% to 70% of patients diagnosed with IgG4-related disease.

The diagnosis of IgG4-related disease requires a tissue biopsy of the affected organ demonstrating the aforementioned histological features. It is recommended that patients suspected of having an IgG4-related disease have their serum IgG4 level measured.