Immunological abnormalities in splenic atrophy.

Multiple immunological abnormalities have been demonstrated in fourteen patients with evidence in the blood-film of hyposplenism due to splenic atrophy. Reduction in spleen size was confirmed radiologically, and impairment of phagocytosis by the spleen was demonstrated by studying the survival and fate of chemically damaged autologous red blood-cells. Eight of the patients had intestinal malabsorption, and there was a high frequency of autoimmune disease in the remainder. Although patients with splenic atrophy showed little evidence of impairment of normal immune responses, there was a high frequency of autoantibody formation. There is thus an association between widespread immunological disturbances, notably autoimmunity, and splenic atrophy.