Chronic rhinosinusitis in primary antibody immunodeficient patients.

OBJECTIVE

Some patients suffer from recurrent or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) because of previously unrecognized immunodeficiency disease. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the incidence of CRS in children with different types of primary humoral deficiency.

STUDY

DESIGN

Among 842 cases of primary immunodeficiency diseases diagnosed in the Department of Immunology of the Children's Memorial Institute in Warsaw from 1980 up to February 2006 antibody deficiencies occurred most frequently--in 50.4%. In this group the retrospective study of patients' history suggesting CRS prior to intravenous gamma-globulin substitution therapy was performed.

RESULTS

CRS was observed most frequently in the group of patients with agammaglobulinemia less often in patients with dysgammaglobulinemia, and other antibody deficiencies.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of frequent bacterial infections, complicating common colds, should alert the physician to the possibility of immunodeficiency. Immunological testing should be an integral part of evaluation of patients with refractory CRS.