Investigation of Immunoregulatory Alphaglobulin (IRA) in Shock and Trauma.

Burn patients with greater than 30 body surface area burn were skin tested for hypersensitivity responsiveness to 4 standard recall antigens and were sensitized to dinitrochlorobenzene DNCB. The results of the skin tests were compared on each occasion with the ability of the patientss serum in 10 concentration to suppress normal human lymphocyte stimulation by phytohemagglutinin PHA in tissue culture. Seventy-eight serum samples were taken and the immunosuppressive activity related to the presence or absence of coexistant cutaneous anergy. Cutaneous anergy ro relative anergy was present on 40 occasions and 25 63 of the associated serum samples at 10 concentration suppressed normal lymphocyte blastogenesis with PHA by more than 50. There was a normal delayed hypersensitivity reaction on 38 occasions and this was associated with suppressive serum on 11 occasions 28.