Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University and IWK Health Center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
International Early Onset Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Pediatrics. 2021 Nov;148(5). doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-050614. Epub 2021 Oct 22.
Our understanding of inflammatory bowel disease is changing as we identify genetic variants associated with immune dysregulation. Inflammatory bowel disease undetermined, even when diagnosed in older children and adolescents, in the setting of multiple inflammatory and infectious diseases should raise the suspicion of complex immune dysregulation with a monogenic basis. We report a case of inflammatory bowel disease undetermined triggered by exposure to a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug in a 16-year-old girl with a background history of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, cytopenias, recurrent respiratory tract and middle ear infections, and esophageal candidiasis. Immunologic assessment included measurement of immunoglobulin levels, lymphocyte immunophenotyping, B-cell functional tests, and whole-exome sequencing. Laboratory investigation revealed defects of humoral immunity, including mild persistent hypogammaglobulinemia affecting all 3 isotypes and absent isohemagglutinins. Whole exome sequencing revealed a heterozygous TNFRSF13B (Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily Member 13B, or Transmembrane Activator and Calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand Interactor, TACI) gene variant, which is associated with common variable immunodeficiency and the development of autoimmune diseases. In conclusion, a clinical history of recurrent infections, atypical histologic features of inflammatory bowel disease, additional autoimmune manifestations, and an inadequate response to conventional therapy should prompt the physician to refer to an immunologist with the query of inborn error of immunity. We report how extensive immune evaluation and genetic diagnosis can individualize care and facilitate a multidisciplinary team approach.
我们对炎症性肠病的认识正在发生变化,因为我们发现了与免疫失调相关的遗传变异。即使在年龄较大的儿童和青少年中诊断出炎症性肠病,且存在多种炎症和感染性疾病时,也应怀疑存在以单基因为基础的复杂免疫失调。我们报告了一例炎症性肠病未确定病例,该病例由 16 岁女孩在接触非甾体抗炎药后引发,该女孩有幼年特发性关节炎、血细胞减少症、复发性呼吸道和中耳感染以及食管念珠菌病的病史。免疫评估包括免疫球蛋白水平测量、淋巴细胞免疫表型分析、B 细胞功能测试和全外显子组测序。实验室研究发现存在体液免疫缺陷,包括影响所有 3 种同种型的轻度持续性低丙种球蛋白血症和不存在同种凝集素。全外显子组测序显示存在 TNFRSF13B(肿瘤坏死因子受体超家族成员 13B,或跨膜激活剂和钙调节环孢素配体相互作用物,TACI)基因变异,该变异与常见可变免疫缺陷和自身免疫性疾病的发生有关。总之,反复感染的临床病史、炎症性肠病的非典型组织学特征、其他自身免疫表现以及对常规治疗的反应不足,应促使医生向免疫学家咨询以确定是否存在先天性免疫缺陷。我们报告了广泛的免疫评估和基因诊断如何为患者提供个体化治疗,并促进多学科团队的治疗方法。