Hypogammaglobulinemia occurs when the immune system dysfunctions to prevent the body from making sufficient immunoglobulins (antibodies), leading to recurrent infections, autoimmunity, allergies, and neoplasias (uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells or tissues in the body).
Many individuals are asymptomatic, but signs and symptoms of the disorder are related to the chronic diseases and infections that form from the condition.
Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), seronegative arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, uveitis, vasculitis, cytopenias, vitiligo, pneumonia, sinusitis, and tonsillitis.
Studies have found that the primary form of hypogammaglobulinemia is caused by chromosomal abnormalities or a genetic disorder, and the secondary form is caused by environmental factors, drugs, and infections. In addition, studies have found the condition to have a male predominance and to be more common in children and adolescents.
Huq, M., Bhatnagar, N. K., & Hostoffer, R. W. (2021). Hypogammaglobulinemia. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563134/
Hypogammaglobulinemia—An overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/hypogammaglobulinemia
Pimenta, F. M. C. A., Palma, S. M. U., Constantino-Silva, R. N., & Grumach, A. S. (2019). Hypogammaglobulinemia: A diagnosis that must not be overlooked. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 52(10), e8926. https://doi.org/10.1590/1414-431X20198926
