Case Report—Secondary Antibody Deficiency Due to Endogenous Hypercortisolism

• Main Authors: Jelena Sarcevic, Claudia Cavelti-Weder, Christoph T. Berger, Marten Trendelenburg
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-07-01
• Series: Frontiers in Immunology
• Subjects: hypogammaglobulinemia; lymphocytopenia; immune deficiency; secondary antibody deficiency; endogenous hypercortisolism
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01435/full

Therapeutic corticosteroids have an immunosuppressive function involving several pathways, including lymphocytopenia and hypogammaglobulinemia. While these effects have been well-described in patients that received corticosteroids for therapeutic reasons, the effects of endogenous corticosteroids on the immune system are less well-understood. Here, we describe a 21-year old patient with hypercortisolism due to an ACTH producing thymic tumor. In this patient, we observed a decrease in some of the immunoglobulin classes, and in specific B and T cell populations that resembled effects caused by corticosteroid treatment. IgG levels were restored following treatment and normalization of the hypercortisolism.