Krošláková Barbora, Jeseňák Miloš, Krošlák Milan, Bánovčin Peter
Objective: DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) belongs to the complex immunodeficiency syndromes. It is caused by the micro-deletion on short arm of chromosome 22. Its prevalence is probably much higher than it was expected, especially in the group of children with congenital heart defects. Patients and Methods: In the group of 11 patients with DiGeorge syndrome (4 boys, 36.4%; aged 7.44 ± 5.86 years) which are observed in the Center for diagnosis and treatment of primary immunodeficiencies in University Hospital Martin we analysed clinical, laboratory and other selected parameters in the context of actual knowledge about this disease.
Results: Average age at the time of diagnosis was 6.08 ± 5.84 years. In 10 children, the microdeletion in the critical area 22q11 was detected and all the children suffered from partial form of DGS. In 10 children, thymus was hypoplastic or even absent, and hypocalcaemia was detected in half of them. In all the children, typical facial dysmorphism was observed to-gether with variable, dominantly cellular immunodeficiency. In half of the patients, the recurrent respiratory tract infections were presented. Nine children yielded congenital heart defect and 7 of them underwent cardiosurgical intervention.
Conclusions: DiGeorge syndrome belongs to the relatively frequent immunodeficiency syndromes. Combination of con-genital heart defect together with facial dysmorphism, recurrent respiratory infections and hypocalcaemia should point the attention for the possible diagnosis of DGS. Patients with DGS require multidisciplinary management.