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Rhinosinusitis: Is My Rhinosinusitis a Sign of Weakness in My Immune System? Weakness in the immune system is unusual, occurring only in about 5% of chronic rhinosinusitis patients. Two common types of immune deficiency are associated with an increased prevalence of rhinosinusitis: IgA deficiency and hypogammaglobulinemia. IgA deficiency occurs in about 1 in 700 people in the United States. The diagnosis is made by a blood test. It tends to run in families, but the pattern of inheritance is unknown. IgA antibodies are secreted into the mucus layer produced in the sinuses. The antibodies help to fight infection by bacteria and viruses. Patients with IgA deficiency have an increased incidence of sinus and ear infections but are usually healthy otherwise. There is no cure for IgA deficiency. Gamma globulin treatments are not recommended, since they contain very little IgA. Hypogammaglobulinemia is much less common than IgA deficiency. It involves a deficiency in IgG antibodies. The diagnosis is made by blood tests and by testing a patient’s immune response to vaccines. IgG is the most important type of antibody for fighting infections. Patients with IgG deficiency may experience sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis and pneumonia. In severe cases, hypogammaglobulinemia may be treated with "gammaglobulin," which is given intravenously. This type of treatment is known as "IVIG", and it is very effective at correcting hypogammaglobulinemia. IVIG treatments are very expensive and must be given every month for life. For more information about immune deficiencies, please see the Immune Deficiency Foundation’s Web site at www.primaryimmune.org. |
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