What is the primary treatment for Bruton's agammaglobulinemia?

Bruton's agammaglobulinemia, also known as X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), is a genetic immunodeficiency characterized by the absence of functional B-lymphocytes, leading to a significant decrease in immunoglobulin production. The primary treatment for this condition is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

IVIG provides patients with the antibodies they are unable to produce due to their condition, thereby offering protection against infections that these patients are particularly susceptible to. By regularly administering IVIG, the patient’s immune system can gain some level of functional support, helping them combat infections that they would otherwise be unable to manage due to their lack of immunoglobulins.

Other treatments, while they may play a role in the overall management of the patient or in specific scenarios, do not serve as the primary therapy. For instance, antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections but do not address the underlying immunologic deficiency. Chemotherapy is unrelated to the treatment of XLA as it is typically used for malignancies and not for immunodeficiencies. While bone marrow transplantation can potentially cure several types of immunodeficiencies, including some forms of severe combined immundeficiency (SCID), it is