Common Variable Immunodeficiency

CVI is relatively common. Infants sometimes have symptoms of CVI. In most cases, however, symptoms do not show up until the teen years or early adulthood.

CVI is also called

• hypogammaglobulinemia
• adult-onset agammaglobulinemia
• late-onset hypogammaglobulinemia
• acquired agammaglobulinemia

What causes CVI?

No one knows the cause. Experts cannot trace a clear pattern showing that this PI is inherited.

What are the signs and symptoms of CVI?

Most people with CVI have

• frequent bacterial infections of the ears, sinuses, bronchi, and lungs
• painful swollen joints in the knee, ankle, elbow, or wrist
• problems involving the digestive tract
• an enlarged spleen and swollen glands or lymph nodes

Along with other autoimmune problems, some develop autoantibodies that attack their own blood cells. People with CVI also have an increased risk of developing some cancers.

How is CVI diagnosed?

To diagnose CVI, doctors look for

• below-normal levels of IgG and IgA
• zero-to-slightly-low levels of IgG
• low-to-normal IgM levels
• whether B cells produce antibodies following a common vaccination like a tetanus shot
• how well the T cells are working
• gastrointestinal infections if there are digestive symptoms

How is CVI treated?

CVI patients receive intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) every 3 to 4 weeks to restore normal antibody levels. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Physical therapy and daily postural drainage may help clear clogged lungs.

For More Information:

• Primary Immunodeficiency

^{reproduced from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Fact Sheet on Primary Immune Deficiency}