Autoimmunity in common variable immunodeficiency: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2020 Dec;16(12):1227-1235. doi: 10.1080/1744666X.2021.1850272. Epub 2020 Dec 7.

Abstract

Objectives: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common symptomatic inborn error of immunity characterized by variable clinical manifestations. Methods: Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were searched systemically to find eligible studies from the earliest available date to February 2020 with standard keywords. Pooled estimates of the autoimmunity prevalence and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models. Results: The overall prevalence of autoimmunity was 29.8% (95% CI: 26.4-33.3; I2 = 82.8%). The prevalences of hematologic autoimmune diseases, autoimmune gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune rheumatologic disorders, autoimmune skin disorders, and autoimmune endocrinopathy in CVID patients were 18.9%, 11.5%, 6.4%, 5.9%), and 2.5%, respectively. There were significantly higher lymphocyte, CD3 + T cell, and CD4 + T cell count among CVID patients without autoimmunity (p< 0.05). Furthermore, failure to thrive, organomegaly, enteropathy, and meningitis was significantly higher in CVID patients with autoimmunity(p< 0.05). Conclusions: Many CVID patients could present with autoimmunity as part of the disease or even as the first or only clinical manifestation of the disease. Care providers may need to pay particular attention to the possible association of these two disorders since the co-occurrence of CVID and autoimmunity could be a misleading clue.

Keywords: Common variable immunodeficiency; autoimmune cytopenia; autoimmunity; hypogammaglobulinemia; primary antibody deficiency.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Autoimmune Diseases / diagnosis
  • Autoimmune Diseases / epidemiology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / physiopathology
  • Autoimmunity*
  • Common Variable Immunodeficiency / diagnosis
  • Common Variable Immunodeficiency / epidemiology
  • Common Variable Immunodeficiency / immunology*
  • Common Variable Immunodeficiency / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Prevalence