HYPOGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA

Course overview

HYPOGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA IS A DISORDER CAUSED BY LOW SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN OR ANTIBODY LEVELS. IMMUNOGLOBULINS ARE THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE AND ABLE TO RECOGNIZE ANTIGENS TO TRIGGER A BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE AND ERADICATE THE INFECTIOUS SOURCE. HYPOGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA IS THE MOST COMMON PRIMARY IMMUNODEFICIENCY AND ENCOMPASSES A MAJORITY OF IMMUNE-COMPROMISED PATIENTS. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION, IT MUST BE PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED AND TREATED. THE EVALUATION CONSISTS OF LAB TESTS, CLINICAL FINDINGS, VACCINATION RESPONSE, AND GENETIC TESTING. TREATMENT IS IVIG TRANSFUSIONS, ANTIBIOTICS, AND GLUCOCORTICOIDS. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE PRACTITIONER OR INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM TO APPROPRIATELY ASSESS, EVALUATE, MANAGE, AND TREAT PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.