A case of granulomatous lung disease in a patient with Good's syndrome

Korean J Intern Med. 2008 Dec;23(4):219-22. doi: 10.3904/kjim.2008.23.4.219.

Abstract

Good's syndrome is extremely rare. This adult-onset condition is characterized by a thymoma with immunodeficiency, low B- and T-cell counts, and hypo-gammaglobulinemia. The initial clinical presentation is either a mass-lesion thymoma or a recurrent infection. Patients with Good's syndrome are very susceptible to infections; common respiratory and opportunistic infections can be life-threatening. There are no reports of granulomatous lung disease in patients with Good's syndrome, although it has been observed in patients with common variable immunodeficiency, of which Good's syndrome is a subset. We describe a 53-year-old male thymoma patient who presented with respiratory symptoms caused by granulomatous lung disease and an opportunistic infection. He died of uncontrolled fungal infection despite repeated intravenous immunoglobulin and supportive care. Clinicians should look for evidence of immunologic dysfunction in thymoma patients presenting with severe recurrent infections, especially opportunistic infections.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Fatal Outcome
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / diagnosis
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / etiology*
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / complications*
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / immunology
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / diagnosis
  • Lung Diseases / etiology*
  • Lung Diseases / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Thymoma / complications*
  • Thymoma / immunology
  • Thymoma / pathology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / complications*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / immunology
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology