This is the second report of the United Kingdom Primary Immunodeficiency (UKPID) registry. The registry will be a decade old in 2018 and, as of August 2017, had recruited 4758 patients encompassing 97% of immunology centres within the United Kingdom. This represents a doubling of recruitment into the registry since we reported on 2229 patients included in our first report of 2013. Minimum PID prevalence in the United Kingdom is currently 5·90/100 000 and an average incidence of PID between 1980 and 2000 of 7·6 cases per 100 000 UK live births. Data are presented on the frequency of diseases recorded, disease prevalence, diagnostic delay and treatment modality, including haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and gene therapy. The registry provides valuable information to clinicians, researchers, service commissioners and industry alike on PID within the United Kingdom, which may not otherwise be available without the existence of a well-established registry.
SummaryImmunoglobulin replacement therapy enhances survival and reduces infection risk in patients with agammaglobulinaemia. We hypothesized that despite regular immunoglobulin therapy, some patients will experience ongoing respiratory infections and develop progressive bronchiectasis with deteriorating lung function. One hundred and thirty-nine (70%) of 199 patients aged 1–80 years from nine cities in the United Kingdom with agammaglobulinaemia currently listed on the UK Primary Immune Deficiency (UKPID) registry were recruited into this retrospective case study and their clinical and laboratory features analysed; 94% were male, 78% of whom had Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene mutations. All patients were on immunoglobulin replacement therapy and 52% had commenced therapy by the time they were 2 years old. Sixty per cent were also taking prophylactic oral antibiotics; 56% of patients had radiological evidence of bronchiectasis, which developed between the ages of 7 and 45 years. Multivariate analysis showed that three factors were associated significantly with bronchiectasis: reaching 18 years old [relative risk (RR) = 14·2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2·7–74·6], history of pneumonia (RR = 3·9, 95% CI = 1·1–13·8) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) rather than subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) = (RR = 3·5, 95% CI = 1·2–10·1), while starting immunoglobulin replacement after reaching 2 years of age, gender and recent serum IgG concentration were not associated significantly. Independent of age, patients with bronchiectasis had significantly poorer lung function [predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s 74% (50–91)] than those without this complication [92% (84–101)] (P < 0·001). We conclude that despite immunoglobulin replacement therapy, many patients with agammaglobulinaemia can develop chronic lung disease and progressive impairment of lung function.
Idiopathic hypogammaglobulinaemia, including common variable immune deficiency (CVID), has a heterogeneous clinical phenotype. This study used data from the national UK Primary Immune Deficiency (UKPID) registry to examine factors associated with adverse outcomes, particularly lung damage and malignancy. A total of 801 adults labelled with idiopathic hypogammaglobulinaemia and CVID aged 18-96 years from 10 UK cities were recruited using the UKPID registry database. Clinical and laboratory data (leucocyte numbers and serum immunoglobulin concentrations) were collated and analysed using uni- and multivariate statistics. Low serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G pre-immunoglobulin replacement therapy was the key factor associated with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and history of LRTI was the main factor associated with bronchiectasis. History of overt LRTI was also associated with a significantly shorter delay in diagnosis and commencing immunoglobulin replacement therapy [5 (range 1-13 years) versus 9 (range 2-24) years]. Patients with bronchiectasis started immunoglobulin replacement therapy significantly later than those without this complication [7 (range 2-22) years versus 5 (range 1-13) years]. Patients with a history of LRTI had higher serum IgG concentrations on therapy and were twice as likely to be on prophylactic antibiotics. Ensuring prompt commencement of immunoglobulin therapy in patients with idiopathic hypogammaglobulinaemia is likely to help prevent LRTI and subsequent bronchiectasis. Cancer was the only factor associated with mortality. Overt cancer, both haematological and non-haematological, was associated with significantly lower absolute CD8(+) T cell but not natural killer (NK) cell numbers, raising the question as to what extent immune senescence, particularly of CD8(+) T cells, might contribute to the increased risk of cancers as individuals age.
Surveillance of 75 immunodeficiency patients exposed to UK ‐sourced immunoglobulin, including batches derived from donors who went on to develop vCJD , has not detected any clinical cases of vCJD , or of asymptomatic infection in 15 patients with available tissue samples of sufficient quality for testing.
Complement immunodeficiencies (excluding hereditary angioedema and mannose binding lectin deficiency) are rare. Published literature consists largely of case reports and small series. We collated data from 18 cities across Europe to provide an overview of primarily homozygous, rather than partial genotypes and their impact and management.
Summary Hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired angioedema (AAE) are rare life-threatening conditions caused by deficiency of C1 inhibitor (C1INH). Both are characterized by recurrent unpredictable episodes of mucosal swelling involving three main areas: the skin, gastrointestinal tract and larynx. Swelling in the gastrointestinal tract results in abdominal pain and vomiting, while swelling in the larynx may be fatal. There are limited UK data on these patients to help improve practice and understand more clearly the burden of disease. An audit tool was designed, informed by the published UK consensus document and clinical practice, and sent to clinicians involved in the care of HAE patients through a number of national organizations. Data sets on 376 patients were received from 14 centres in England, Scotland and Wales. There were 55 deaths from HAE in 33 families, emphasizing the potentially lethal nature of this disease. These data also show that there is a significant diagnostic delay of on average 10 years for type I HAE, 18 years for type II HAE and 5 years for AAE. For HAE the average annual frequency of swellings per patient affecting the periphery was eight, abdomen 5 and airway 0·5, with wide individual variation. The impact on quality of life was rated as moderate or severe by 37% of adult patients. The audit has helped to define the burden of disease in the UK and has aided planning new treatments for UK patients.
This report summarizes the establishment of the first national online registry of primary immune deficency in the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom Primary Immunodeficiency (UKPID Registry). This UKPID Registry is based on the European Society for Immune Deficiency (ESID) registry platform, hosted on servers at the Royal Free site of University College, London. It is accessible to users through the website of the United Kingdom Primary Immunodeficiency Network (www.ukpin.org.uk). Twenty-seven centres in the United Kingdom are actively contributing data, with an additional nine centres completing their ethical and governance approvals to participate. This indicates that 36 of 38 (95%) of recognized centres in the United Kingdom have engaged with this project. To date, 2229 patients have been enrolled, with a notable increasing rate of recruitment in the past 12 months. Data are presented on the range of diagnoses recorded, estimated minimum disease prevalence, geographical distribution of patients across the United Kingdom, age at presentation, diagnostic delay, treatment modalities used and evidence of their monitoring and effectiveness.