Diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases in pediatric patients hospitalized for recurrent, severe, or unusual infections

Abstract

Background: Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) usually presents itself with recurrent, severe, and unusual infections, along with autoimmunity and various other malignancies. But, the diversity of PID often makes the diagnosis of patients difficult for physicians other than clinical immunologists. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of patients diagnosed with PIDs during the inpatient treatment for infectious diseases, and to highlight the cases in which a PID diagnosis should be considered. Methods: The clinical, immunological, and molecular features of 81 pediatric patients treated for infectious diseases, who were diagnosed with a PID during hospitalization was retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis was based on the PID criteria of the International Union of Immunological Societies. Results: The five main PID sub-types were identified. Predominantly, antibody deficiencies were the most common (61.7%) group. The average delay in diagnosis was 34.6 months, and the positive family history rate was 24.7%, while the consanguineous marriage rate was 45.7%. Around thirty-five (43%) patients were found to have mutated PID-related genes. While lower respiratory tract infections were the most common symptom, a fever of unknown origin was another remarkable diagnosis. Eight (9.9%) patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Conclusions: Clinicians should consider a PID diagnosis, especially in the cases of recurrent, severe, or atypical infections. Increased knowledge of the alarm features of PID can promote early diagnosis.

Primary immunodeficiency disease in children: A significant but rare cause of failure to thrive

“…It can be divided into supportive and definitive therapy. Early initiation of supportive treatment includes antibiotics or antifungal, balanced nutrition, vaccination, and immunoglobulin replacement therapy are crucial to prevent further deterioration [9,10]. Definitive therapy includes such as haematopoietic stem cells transplantation and bone marrow transplant are the treatment option that life rescuer for patient with severe types of PID for example severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) [9].…”

Facilitated Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Treatment Increases the Quality of Life and Decreases the Number of Infections and Hospitalizations in Children with Primary Immunodeficiencies

“…The patients diagnosed with PID present wide spectrum of clinical manifestations [2]. Recurrent infections are the most common manifestations, and immunoglobulin therapy has a critical role in the prevention of infections [3][4][5].…”