Dermatologic Manifestations of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Follow-up
- Author: Akimichi Morita, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD more...
Further Outpatient Care
- Obtaining a blood analysis on at least a monthly basis is necessary in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome patients.
- Malignancy evaluations should be conducted, especially in elderly Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome patients.
Complications
- With advancing age, T-cell function is progressively impaired, and patients are increasingly susceptible to infections caused by herpes and other viruses and Pneumocystis carinii.
- Autoimmune phenomena may develop. Arthritis, renal disease, dermatomyositis, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia have been reported.
- Lymphoreticular malignancy develops in 18-20% of patients, particularly in those with autoimmune manifestations. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most common malignancy.[14]
- Intracranial hemorrhage is a constant threat.
Prognosis
- Death usually occurs during infancy.
- The cause of death in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is infection in 55-60% of patients, bleeding in 24-27% of patients, and lymphoreticular malignancy in about 5-10% of patients.
- Ten percent of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome patients die from lymphoreticular malignancy, usually as adolescents or young adults.
Patient Education
- For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Skin, Hair, and Nails Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Eczema.
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