Echocardiographic abnormalities and their correlation with bronchiectasis score in primary antibody deficiencies.
BACKGROUND
Primary antibody deficiencies are characterized by defective antibody production and recurrent infections. Patients usually present with recurrent respiratory tract infections with consequent chronic pulmonary damage and bronchiectasis, which could potentially influence cardiac function. Our aim was to assess noninvasively the cardiac complications due to pulmonary disease in patients with primary antibody deficiency.


METHODS
A cross-sectional series of patients with primary antibody deficiency syndromes from our referral immunology center were recruited. Individuals undergoing high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and transthoracic echocardiography were reviewed.


RESULTS
Thirty primary immunodeficient patients aged 5-55 years of age (21 males and 9 females) were enrolled in this study. Half of the patients (50%) were found to have bronchiectasis in HRCT imaging. In echocardiographic examination, 20 patients (67%) had at least one abnormality; among which pulmonary hypertension was the most common (33%). Patients with bronchiectasis had higher pulmonary artery pressures and HRCT bronchiectasis score was strongly correlated with pulmonary artery pressure (regression R = 0.59, P value = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular function and noninvasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressure could have an important diagnostic role in the follow-up and therapeutic management of patients with primary immune deficiency.
Zeinaloo
Ali Akbar
AA
Growth and Development Research Center, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Aghamohammadi
Asghar
A
Shabanian
Reza
R
Salavati
Ali
A
Abdollahzade
Sina
S
Rezaei
Nima
N
Alizadeh
Hooman
H
Zanjani
Keyhan Sayadpour
KS
Kiani
Abdolrazagh
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult