Infections of the nose and paranasal sinuses in adult patients with immunodeficiency
G. Karlsson, B. Petruson, J. Bjorkander and L. A. Hanson
Twenty-two patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and 18
patients with selective IgA deficiency were examined with respect to
previous and present infections of the upper respiratory tract (URT),
especially of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Recurrent acute
rhinosinusitis was common in both groups of patients, but the development
of chronic rhinosinusitis was only found in patients with CVID, indicating
the more severe nature of this condition compared with selective IgA
deficiency. The infections of the URT occurred several years before the
appearance of lower respiratory tract (LRT) infections. Once the infections
of the LRT had started, the patients had a tendency to neglect the symptoms
from the URT. Early detection of antibody deficiency syndromes is of vital
importance for prevention of repeated and chronic infections often causing
tissue damage in the respiratory tract.
