Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T23:09:24.256Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Common variable immunodeficiency syndrome: a difficult diagnostic problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2007

C Spyridakou ,
S Berry  and
J Phillipps
C Spyridakou*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK
S Berry
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK
J Phillipps
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr C Spyridakou, Department of Audiological Medicine, St Ann's Hospital, St Ann's Road, London, N15 3TH, UK. E-mail: chrysasp@hotmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

We present a rare case of an adult male with undiagnosed common variable immunodeficiency syndrome who presented to the ENT department with refractory chronic sinusitis and otitis media with effusion.

Method:

Case report and a review of the international literature concerning common variable immunodeficiency syndrome in adults and upper respiratory tract involvement.

Results:

A 37-year-old male presented to the ENT department with refractory chronic sinusitis and otitis media with effusion. The diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency syndrome was delayed, and difficult, primarily due to minimal symptoms with no lower respiratory tract involvement and negative past or family medical history.

Conclusion:

Early diagnosis helps to prevent morbidity and even mortality. This article highlights how difficult and important it is to make an early diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency syndrome. Early diagnosis will only be made by increased awareness of this condition.

Keywords

AdultRrefractorySinusitisOtitis Media with EffusionCommon Variable Immunodeficiency
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 121 , Issue 12 , December 2007 , pp. 1204 - 1206
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Report of a WHO sponsored meeting. Primary immunodeficiency diseases. Immunodefic Rev 1989;1:173–205Google Scholar
2 Buckley, RH. Humoral immunodeficiency. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 1986;40:13–24CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Spickett, GP, Misbah, SA, Chapel, HM. Primary antibody deficiency in adults. Lancet 1991;337:281–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Hermaszewski, RA, Webster, AD. Primary hypogammaglobulinaemia: a survey of clinical manifestations and complications. Q J Med 1993;86:31–42Google ScholarPubMed
5 Polmar, SH. The role of immunologist in sinus disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1992;90:511–14; discussion 514–15CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Ferguson, BJ, Mabry, RL. Laboratory diagnosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997;117:S12–26CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Spickett, GP, Chapel, HM. Report on the audit of patients with primary antibody deficiency in the United Kingdom 1993–1996 Newcastle: Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, 1998Google Scholar
8 Blore, J, Haeney, MR. Primary antibody deficiency and diagnostic delay. BMJ 1989;298:516–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Cooney, TR, Huissoon, AP, Powell, RJ, Jones, NS. Investigation for immunodeficiency in patients with recurrent ENT infections. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 2001;26:184–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 European Group for Immunodeficiencies. Intravenous gammaglobulin for immunodeficiency: report from the European Group for Immunodeficiencies(EGID). Clin Exp Immunol 1986;65:683–90Google Scholar