ENLARGEMENT OF THE THYMUS IN A CHILD WITH CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS-DISEASE RECEIVING INTERFERON-GAMMA THERAPY

Both an enlarged thymus (with normal results on histologic examination ) and an increase in the percentage of peripheral CD4(+)CD45RA(+) (nai ve) T lymphocytes developed in a child with chronic granulomatous dise ase receiving long-term interferon gamma therapy. The thymic regrowth may be secondary to interferon gamma therapy or to overstimulation of his compromised immune system by recurrent infections. To our knowledg e, an association between enlargement of the thymus and either chronic granulomatous disease or interferon gamma has not been previously rep orted.