Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2025
Development of an Antigen-driven Colitis Model to Study Presentation of Antigens by Antigen Presenting Cells to T Cells
Published on: September 18, 2016
Gastrointestinal involvement of common variable immunodeficiency: A diagnostic challenge to the physician
Harikrishnan Gangadharan1, Vipin Joseph Paul1, Roopa Ravi1
1Department of General Medicine, Government Medical College Kottayam, Kottayam, India.
Abstract:
A 35-year-old male presented with fatigue for 1 month and was found to have megaloblastic anaemia. Further evaluation showed low globulin levels and pan hypogammaglobulinemia. Past history was significant for chronic small bowel diarrhoea and bilateral genu valgum deformity from childhood. Hence, a malabsorption syndrome with a probable antibody deficiency was suspected. An upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy was done, which revealed chronic atrophic gastritis with Helicobacter pylori infection, dysplasia and subtotal villous atrophy with a paucity of plasma cells, which was suggestive of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID)-related enteropathy. CVID can present with predominantly autoimmune GI manifestations without any history of recurrent infections. The risk of gastric dysplasia and malignancy is high in CVID and needs close monitoring.
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