Cutaneous manifestations in primary immunodeficiency diseases

Abstract

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) or inborn errors of immunity are a group of inherited disorders characterized by defects in components of innate and/or adaptive immunity. Cutaneous manifestations are common in PIDs. The cutaneous manifestations are often the presenting symptoms which help in the diagnosis. Patients with PID are more prone to recurrent, unusual, prolonged or severe infections, and often these infections involve the skin. PID patients may also manifest non-infectious cutaneous signs such as eczema/erythroderma, granulomas, urticaria, vasculitis, and autoimmune skin diseases due to immune dysregulation. Certain PIDs also have specific cutaneous features such as telangiectasia and silvery sheen of hair. Although individual immunodeficiency syndromes are rare, the PIDs as a whole are not uncommon. This review article gives a summary of the common cutaneous manifestations in PID with a focus on the clinical clues for diagnosis.