Successful trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy in a patient with hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome

A male patient with hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is described. Recurrent lymphadenitis and cutaneous staphylococcal abscesses were resistant to various antibiotics, and chemotaxis and hydrogen peroxide production of polymorphonuclear leukocytes were impaired. Following trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy, he was free from the above infections, and impaired polymorphonuclear leukocyte functions recovered and serum IgE decreased to approximately one-fifth of its initial level. Subsequent irregular medications, however, resulted in impairment of polymorphonuclear leukocyte functions and an increased serum IgE concentration, which recovered after regular resumption of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment. From these results, the beneficial effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome are clinically apparent, but in vitro studies failed to demonstrate the positive effect of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole on polymorphonuclear leukocytes and their mechanism still remains to be elucidated.