Assessment of nutritional status in agammaglobulinemia: results of a multicenter study

Primary antibody deficiencies are a group of disorders characterized by an unusual susceptibility to infections and malnutrition. Little is known on nutritional status in primary immunodeficiencies, since only one study was published on this topic. The aim of the multicenter study is general assessment of nutritional status of patients with primary agammaglobulinemia (XLA or AAR). Sixty-five patients (all males, aged 2-57 years, median age 18,5 years) were enrolled referring to eleven Italian Centers (IPINET). Short questionnaire to evaluate physiological data and nutritional habits was subministered. Anthropometric indicies (weight, height, BMI, skinfolds and circumferences) and blood tests (IGF-1, prealbumin, albumin, blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, apolipoprotein A and B, triglycerides) were measured. All data were collected in standardized Case Report Form. Fourty-nine patients showed weight and BMI percentiles between 25 ° and 97 °. Weight and BMI percentiles at enrollment seemed similar or higher that the corresponding percentiles at the time of diagnosis . The laboratory blood tests values showed no significant difference compared to the reference values for each age class. No signs of malnutrition were found in tested patients. We speculate that an adequate immunoglobulin replacement therapy in patients with Agammaglobulinemia may help in reducing the risk of malnutrition by supplying protein chains and trough the reduction of infections.