[Primary immunodeficiencies are a topical problem of modern medicine]

To analyze the incidence of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), to reveal the specific features of the course of this condition at the present stage, and to estimate the quality of health care to patients with PIDs.

An open-label prospective trial was performed in 94 patients with different forms of PIDs (63 with selective immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency and 31 with other more severe primary immunodeficiencies) who had been permanent residents in the Perm Territory in the period 1990 to 2012.

The registered PID cases were noted to be lower than the estimated ones. Over 22 years of follow-ups, the death rates for this group of patients with these diseases were 11%, and the disability rates were 27%. In severe PIDs (exclusive of selective IgA deficiency), these rates were as high as 35.5 and 96%, respectively. The rate of untimely diagnosis of severe PIDs was high (43%). Molecular genetic studies were conducted in only one tenth of the patents with this disease. PID treatment generally complied with the accepted medical standards. However, all patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia were observed to have periodic irregularities of replacement therapy with intravenous immunoglobulins, which was a cause of death in 2 patients. Adult patients with common variable immune deficiency received no adequate replacement therapy. Timely diagnosis and adequate therapy could not only preserve the life of many patients with severe PIDs (64.5% survived), but could achieve its relatively satisfactory quality.

As of now, PIDs ceased to be fatal diseases. To improve the quality of health care to patients with this pathology, there is a need to increase the awareness of the diagnosis and treatment of immunodeficiencies among physicians of different specialties, to extend the application of molecular genetic techniques, including those for prenatal diagnosis, and to continuously provide patients with essential drugs.