[Asthma and cyclic neutropenia]

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 1996 Jan-Feb;24(1):25-8.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

We report a male with history of recurrent infections (recurrent oral aphtous disease [ROAD], middle ear infections and pharyngo amigdalitis) every 3 weeks since he was 7 months old. At the age of 3 years cyclic neutropenia was diagnosed with cyclic fall in the total neutrophil count in blood smear every 21 days and prophylactic antimicrobial therapy was indicated. Episodic events every 3 weeks of acute asthma and allergic rhinitis were detected at the age of 6 years old and specific immunotherapy to Bermuda grass was given during 3 years with markedly improvement in his allergic condition but not in the ROAD. He came back until the age of 16 with episodic acute asthma and ROAD. The total neutrophil count failed to 0 every 21 days and surprisingly the total eosinophil count increased up to 2,000 at the same time, with elevation of serum IgE (412 Ul/mL). Specific immunotherapy to D.pt. and Aller.a. and therapy with timomodulin was indicated. After 3 months we observed clinical improvement in the asthmatic condition and the ROAD disappeared, but the total neutrophil count did not improve. We present this case as a rare association between 2 diseases with probably no etiological relationship but may be physiopatological that could help to understand more the pathogenesis of asthma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / complications*
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Child
  • Eosinophilia / complications
  • Hematopoiesis
  • Humans
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • Neutropenia / complications*
  • Otitis Media / etiology
  • Periodicity
  • Recurrence
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / etiology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • Tonsillitis / etiology

Substances

  • Interleukins