title: Efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in a case of autoimmune-mediated chronic active hepatitis.
abstract: In a patient suffering from histologically-documented immuno-mediated chronic active hepatitis, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment was initiated as an obligatory alternative therapy because of femur head aseptic necrosis which had followed long-term therapy with steroids. The first cycle of IVIG was followed by remission of most symptoms, normalization of liver enzymes, disappearance of circulating immunecomplexes (CIC), and a negative lupus band test. Improvement in the patient's condition was demonstrated, in liver histology, by the disappearance of peri-portal mononuclear cells infiltrates, while immunohistochemistry showed the disappearance of the intracellular IgG deposits.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine 2, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carmassi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morale
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puccetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pistelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viacava
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariani
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000592:standards*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous