Treatment of systemic vasculitis with pooled intravenous immunoglobulin

Lancet. 1991 May 11;337(8750):1137-9. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)92797-6.

Abstract

The therapeutic effect of a course of high-dose, pooled, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) on disease activity and circulating antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) was investigated in 7 patients with systemic vasculitis. 5 had active disease despite conventional immunosuppression, and 2 had not received any treatment. All 7 had clinical improvement, which was sustained in 6 and transient in 1. The fall in ANCA concentrations to a mean of 51% of the pre-treatment values was maintained during follow-up. C-reactive protein concentration also dropped considerably. IVIg seemed to confer a useful therapeutic effect without adverse reaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
  • Autoantibodies / analysis*
  • Drug Evaluation
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use*
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction / methods
  • Vasculitis / therapy*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous