This study is a retrospective analysis of 507 children (221 female, 43.6%) with median age of 46 (range 4-190) months, who attended our department with the complaint of recurrent infections between January 2013 and December 2014 during two years period.
The majority of the patients were preschool age children (n: 360, 71%). Most of the infections were upper repiratory tract infections [URTI (n: 380, 75%)]. The patients were divided into 4 diagnostic groups; as atopic children (n: 148, 29.2%), children with primary immune deficiency [PID (n: 54, 10.7%)], patients with chronic disorders (n: 40, 7.9%) and the majority, healthy subjects (n: 265, 52.3%). Among school age patients, the incidence of atopic children was significantly high (p: 0.016). Presenting at adolescent age group, growth retardation and hypogammaglobulinemia were the predictive risk factors for PID. Antibody (B cell) deficiencies (n: 43, 80%), and among those, selective IgA deficiency (n: 23, 4.5%) constituted the majority of the patients in PID. Rheumatological diseases (n: 9, 1.8%), mainly periodic fever syndromes, were the most common chronic disorders. Malignancy (acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma) was obtained in two patients (0.4%).
Complaint of recurrent infections is very common among children attending health care facilities. It is crucial for clinicians to differentiate the children who need further investigations, urgent medical attention.
Keywords : children, immunodeficiency, recurrent infections