Asplenia and functional hyposplenism in autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1.

Asplenia was diagnosed in four patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-I (APS-I): two children, aged 2-4 years, from the same family and two adults, the father of the two children and his cousin. We have observed a worsening in splenic function in the children during a follow-up of a few years. Patients with APS-I should be evaluated for splenic function, since splenic dysfunction has important therapeutic implications, especially in children.