User:Schaffm/sandbox

Margaret Schaff Sandbox
Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) is an immune disorder characterized by recurrent infections and low antibody levels, specifically in immunoglobulin (Ig) types IgG, IgM and IgA. It is thought to infect between 1 in 25,000 to 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. CVID is a rare primary immunodeficiency, and can take many forms due to the diverse ways in which antibody production can be impaired. Generally, CVID symptoms include high susceptibility to foreign invaders, chronic lung disease, and inflammation and infection of the gastrointestinal tract. However, symptoms vary greatly, making the disease not only phenotypically heterogeneous, but also hard to diagnose, taking on average 6-7 years after onset.

CVID is a lifelong disease, but its origin is poorly understood. Current research points to particular genetic markers, like deletions in the CD19, CD20, CD21, and CD80 genes, as likely sources of the disease. Additionally, the disease is defined by T cell defects, namely reduced proliferative capacity. CVID is formally diagnosed by levels of IgG and IgA less than two standard deviations from the mean for age and no other cause for hypogammaglobulinemia, an abnormally low level of immunoglobulins in the blood.

CVID was first diagnosed over 60 years ago, and since has emerged as the predominant class of primary antibody deficiencies. Treatment options are limited, and usually include life-long immunoglobulin replacement therapy. This therapy is thought to help reduce bacterial infections. This treatment alone is not wholly effective, and many patients still experience inflammatory symptoms and the potential to develop cancer. Current research is aimed at studying large cohorts of CVID patients in an attempt to better understand age of onset, as well as mechanism, genetic factors, and progression of the disease.


 * This is a draft of a new lead section for the CVID page. I plan on updating information in the rest of existing article, specifically focusing on the epidemiology, history, and research sections, which contain very minimal information. I also plan to add relevant pictures (for example, of B cells, inflammed gut, picture of diseased lung).