- Celal Özcan: Division of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, Ankara Children's Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. celalozcan01@yahoo.com.tr.
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the frequency of atopy and allergic disease in all groups of primary immunodeficiency (PID) patients. The study was done on 318 patients with PID between the ages of 6 months and 18 years. The patients and their parents were questioned regarding their histories of asthma and allergic disease. Within the study group, 82.4% of the patients had antibody deficiency, 10.4% combined immunodeficiency, 6.6% phagocyte number or function defect, and 0.6% complement deficiency. Patients with selective immunoglobulin (Ig)A deficiency had a more significant history of ever wheezing compared to those with IgG subclass deficiency (p=0.022). The frequency of current wheezing was higher in patients with antibody deficiency than in patients with combined immunodeficiency (p=0.049). In conclusion, patients with antibody deficiency, especially those with selective IgA deficiency, should be evaluated regarding asthma and allergic diseases if recurring respiratory symptoms are present.