Kimmelman C P, Potsic W P
Am J Otolaryngol. 1979 Fall;1(1):33-8. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0709(79)80006-x.
The relationship between the individual's aerodigestive tract and the external environment is a delicate balance maintained by a competent immune system. An understanding of the immune system and the various immune defects thus enables the practitioner to diagnose and treat an otherwise unrecognized cause of recurrent respiratory and ear infections. In this article a review of the immune system is presented. The structure and function of cell mediated and humoral immunity as well as the corresponding deficiency states are discussed. Specific emphasis is placed on immunity as it relates to the air and food passages and the ear. All charts of patients with immune deficiency seen at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were reviewed. Thirty patients were found to be immunodeficient. Hypogammaglobulinemias accounted for 50.0 per cent, IgA deficiency accounted for 33.3 per cent, and chemotactic defects occurred in 13.3 per cent. All patients exhibited some type of otolaryngologic disease, characterized by frequent infections of the middle ear, upper respiratory tract, paranasal sinuses, or lungs. Because of this pattern of presentation, the otolaryngologist should be aware of these disorders and participate in their diagnosis and treatment.
个体的气道消化道与外部环境之间的关系是由健全的免疫系统维持的一种微妙平衡。了解免疫系统及各种免疫缺陷，有助于从业者诊断和治疗复发性呼吸道和耳部感染的潜在病因，否则这些病因可能无法被识别。本文对免疫系统进行综述。讨论了细胞介导免疫和体液免疫的结构与功能以及相应的缺陷状态。特别强调了与气道、消化道和耳部相关的免疫。回顾了费城儿童医院所有免疫缺陷患者的病历。发现30例患者存在免疫缺陷。低丙种球蛋白血症占50.0%，IgA缺乏占33.3%，趋化缺陷占13.3%。所有患者均表现出某种类型的耳鼻喉疾病，其特征为中耳、上呼吸道、鼻窦或肺部频繁感染。鉴于这种临床表现模式，耳鼻喉科医生应了解这些疾病，并参与其诊断和治疗。
