Pulmonary and sinusal changes in 45 patients with primary immunodeficiencies: computed tomography evaluation

The aims of the study were 1) to identify and quantify pulmonary changes in subjects affected by agammaglobulinemia (AG), and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and 2) to assess the incidence, type, and degree of chronic sinusitis and their relation to pulmonary changes.

Forty-five patients affected by AG (18) and CVID (27) underwent computed tomography of lungs and paranasal sinuses.

Of 45 patients, 26 (57.7%) had pulmonary changes, more frequent among CVID than AG patients (P = 0.37). Bronchiectases were detected in 7 of 12 AG and in 9 of 14 CVID; the difference is not statistically significant (P = 0.53). Computed tomographic findings of chronic sinusitis were detected in 41 of 45 patients. There was no statistically significant difference between AG and CVID patients. Bronchial and sinusal abnormalities did not correlate in 11 patients followed longitudinally.

On computed tomography, the type and severity of lung lesions do not correlate either with the type of immunodeficiency or with the severity of the sinusal involvement.