Victor Hernandez-Bautista

Corticosteroid therapy for refractory infections in chronic granulomatous disease: case reports and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary phagocyte immunodeficiency. It is often accompanied by an exuberant and aberrant inflammatory response, with granulomata and obstruction of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts and inflammatory bowel disease. Although corticosteroids are successful in managing the obstructive and inflammatory disorders of CGD, they are not ordinarily used for the management of infection because of the possibility of further compromising the patients immune system. OBJECTIVES To discuss the pros and cons of the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of infections in CGD. METHODS We describe 2 patients with CGD and refractory infections who were successfully treated with systemic corticosteroids in addition to antimicrobial agents. We also review the medical literature in which corticosteroids have been used for CGD infection. RESULTS Our cases add to 3 other reports in which antibiotics and corticosteroids were used successfully in patients with CGD. However, in the presence of a potential pathogen, notably, aspergilla, corticosteroids may mask or favor dissemination of the fungus, especially in adults. CONCLUSIONS Corticosteroids may play an important adjunctive role in CGD refractory infections.

Hyper-IgE syndrome and autoimmunity in Mexican children

Hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent skin abscesses, recurrent pneumonia with pneumatocele formation, eczema, eosinophilia, and elevated levels of serum IgE. Patients with the autosomal recessive (AR) form of HIES appear to be prone to developing autoimmune diseases. We present two cases of HIES with autoimmune complications; one case was a product of a consanguineous marriage, the other one was a sporadic case. The first patient presented with recurrent episodes of erythema nodosum, warts, bronchiolitis obliterans and thrombocytopenia. The second patient developed glomerulonephritis resulting in endstage renal failure. She later developed malar rash, oral ulcers, cerebral infarcts with vasculitis and positive ANA, anti-dsDNA, and antiphospholipid antibodies. We discuss the dilemma in treating patients who present with both primary immunodeficiency and autoimmunity.

Treatment of Kimura Disease With Intravenous Immunoglobulin

Kimura disease is an uncommon chronic inflammatory condition of unknown etiology and is characterized by painless subcutaneous nodules, usually affecting the head and neck, eosinophilia, and markedly elevated immunoglobulin E levels. Several reports have described the main modalities of treatment; both corticosteroids and surgery have provided good results, but occasionally corticosteroids cannot be tapered as the disease flares up. We report here the case of an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with Kimura disease who was successfully treated with 1 dose of intravenous immunoglobulin as a steroid-sparing agent.

Repetición del tratamiento con inmunoglobulina intravenosa (IGIV) en el síndrome de Guillain- Barré refractario en niños

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute symmetrical pa- ralyzing disease due to a demyelinating polyrradiculoneuropathy, often induced by a preceding infection 1. The main modalities for the treatment of GBS include plasmapheresis and intrave- nous immune globulin. Reports of the use of IVIG in children with GBS are limited: 1 g/kg for two days or 400 mg/kg for five days. While these studies in children are not definitive because of design limitations, their results are consistent with the larger randomized trials in adults 2,3.