BIRCWH Postdoctoral Fellow University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, CO, United States
Abstract: Background – Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) in horses is a rare, non-familial condition characterized by late-onset B cell depletion and/or dysfunction resulting in inadequate antibody production and predisposition to recurrent infections. Diagnosis is based on supporting clinical signs and serum IgGAnimals - Submissions to the Equine Immunology Laboratory, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2001-2024, for horses with CVID and lymphoma (CVID+/LSA+) and horses without CVID and with lymphoma (controls).Hypothesis/Objectives – CVID+/LSA+ cases have lower peripheral blood B cell distributions compared to controls. Methods – A case-controlled investigation of the clinical history and results for peripheral blood lymphocyte immunophenotyping and serum immunoglobulin concentrations were compiled for CVID+/LSA+ cases and controls. Results – From 113 CVID+ cases, there were 6 pharyngeal (5.3%) and 7 cutaneous (6.2%) lymphoma cases with concomitant hypogammaglobulinemia, whereas 6 controls cases had lymphoma with normal or hypergammaglobulinemia. The 13 CVID+/LSA+ had significantly lower IgG 400 mg/dL (200, 946) [median (range)] than controls 1,680 mg/dL (1,270, 4,800), p=0.0007. The CD19+ B cell distributions in CVID+/LSA+ were 4.6% (0.2, 23.3) and were not significantly different from controls 20.2% (15.3, 25.0), p=0.07.Conclusions and clinical importance – Horses with lymphoma, particularly of pharyngeal or cutaneous localizations, should be tested for CVID when presenting with hypoglobulinemia and/or recurrent infections. The relationship between CVID and pharyngeal/cutaneous lymphoma warrants further investigation.
