Abstract

DE LA GUARDIA PENA, Odalis María; MACIAS ABRAHAM, Consuelo  and  RUIZ VILLEGAS, Laura. Association between thymus hypoplasia and immunoglobulin A reduction. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter [online]. 2021, vol.37, n.1  Epub Mar 01, 2021. ISSN 1561-2996.

The immune system gradually matures during childhood, and birth is a crucial moment in this process. Transit through the birth canal is the first stimulus perceived by the immune system to start its progressive maturation. The thymus, a primary lymphoid organ as it is, is the first lymphoid organ to appear. It is the site of the ontogeny, differentiation and maturation of the T-lymphocytes migrating to secondary lymphoid organs as immunocompetent T-lymphocytes. IgA production by B-lymphocytes is one of the essential immune response actions performed by mucosas, which they protect in the form of secretory IgA. A study was conducted of 62 pediatric patients aged 1-5 years attending consultation at the Institute of Hematology and Immunology who had a history of frequent acute respiratory infection, with two or more episodes in one month. These patients were ultrasonographically diagnosed with thymus size reduction (hypoplasia). Among them, 50% also presented a decrease in serum IgA concentration. These results pose many questions concerning the association between thymus hypoplasia and IgA reduction. The purpose of the study was therefore to present the association found between thymus size reduction and serum IgA concentration decrease in a group of children aged 1-5 years with a history of frequent respiratory infection attending the Institute of Hematology and Immunology during one year.

Keywords : hipoplasia; thymus; immunoglobulins; acute respiratory infection.

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