[Neumopathies in patients with primary immunodeficiencies in treatment with intravenous gammaglobulin]. / Neumopatías en pacientes con inmunodeficiencias primarias en tratamiento con gammaglobulina intravenosa.

BACKGROUND: The primary immunodeficiency diseases cause a deficit in the production of antibodies. The chronic sinopulmonary disease is common and their clinic symptoms are diverse (pneumonia, bronchiectasis). OBJECTIVE: To know the frequency and type of pulmonary abnormalities in patients with primary immunodeficiency in treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 24 files of patients with primary immunodeficiency were selected. Age, sex, primary immunodeficiency type, time of immunoglobulin treatment, chest X-ray finding, pulmonary computed tomography of high resolution (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests were registered. Measures of central tendency were calculated. RESULTS: There was no predominance of gender; the average age was 14 years old. The common variable immunodeficiency and the Bruton's hypogammaglobulinemia represented 91% of the patients. The X-ray of thorax was abnormal in 33%, although there were not bronchiectasis. The high-resolution computed tomography scan (HRCT) was abnormal in 67%, and 75% had bronchiectasis. CONCLUSIONS: The pulmonary complications are common despite therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin. The HRCT is better than X-ray in these patients.

[Skin tests, serum specific IgE and total IgE in the diagnosis of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis]. / Pruebas cutáneas, IgE sérica específica e IgE total en el diagnóstico de pacientes con rinitis alérgica perenne.

BACKGROUND: Skin tests are the most used diagnostic method of allergic rhinitis, which, in addition to identify specific allergen, can determine the relative sensitivity of one patient to the allergen. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between skin test reactivity and total and specific serum IgE levels on the diagnosis of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We measured the response to skin test reactivity and total and specific serum IgE levels in 69 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: The skin test reactivity showed responses to: Dermatophagoides pt in 62 patients (90%), house dust in 57 (83%), cat in 41 (59%), dog in 23 (33%), and Lolium p in 16 (23%). The mean level of total IgE was of 378 UI (19 to 4,036) and that of specific IgE was of 39.2 UI (0.2 to 98.6). Total IgE > 200 UI was observed in fifty two patients (75%), which was significantly lesser than the frequency of specific IgE > 0.35 UI (at least for an allergen), which was 94% (p < 0.05, Z). At least two tests of skin reactivity were positive for 90% of the patients. This frequency was similar to the 95% for the specific IgE but different to the 75% for the total IgE (p < 0.05, X2). The correlation between the results of the skin test reactivity and the specific seric IgE showed Spearman r from 0.23 to 0.35 (p < 0.05). The correlation between the total IgE and the specific IgE showed a Spearman r of 0.08 (p < 0.05) and between the total IgE and the skin test reactivity an r of 0.15 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the diagnosis of perennial allergic rhinitis, the results of the skin test reactivity and the specific serum IgE are correlated but these two results are non consistent with the results of the total serum IgE.