Common variable immunodeficiency in adults

Abstract

The paper analyzes 7 cases of common variable immune deficiency (CVID), a primary immunodeficiency disease. All the cases were detected in outpatients over the age of 40 years. The diagnosis was based on their history data and general clinical findings with due regard for the results of previously conducted functional studies, expert opinions, and the results of immunological studies including the quantitative and functional indices of T and B cells, phagocytes and the levels of immunoglobulins. The analysis showed that the early signs of impaired immunity in all the patients were seen by physicians of various specialties in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Generalizing of all information about the patient could become the basis for a simple and accessible practical public-health study of immunoglobulins levels significantly sooner than this diagnosis being verified. This testifies that the physicians of various specialties are partially aware of the clinical signs of immunodeficiency states and that there is a need for a clinical immunologist in adult healthcare facilities. This is especially important since the early clinical manifestations of both primary immunodeficiency disorders that are increasingly frequently detected and nonhereditary – secondary ones can be very similar. The timely verification of the diagnosis is necessary for prescribing adequate therapy with intravenous immunoglobulins to prevent severe chronic pyoinflammatory lung disease and disability in patients with CVID.

Keywords

• common variable immunodeficiency (cvid)
• hypogammaglobulinemia
• primary immunodeficiency