A prospective trial of prophylactic intravenous immune globulin for the prevention of infections in severely burned patients.
A prospective randomized double-blind study evaluated the efficacy of i.v. immune globulin in preventing infectious complications in severely burned patients. Fifty patients were randomized to receive either i.v. immune globulin or placebo. Each group of patients was treated with twice weekly infusions for either 5 weeks or until the patients' wounds were covered. Patients treated with the immune globulin had an immediate correction of their depressed serum IgG levels, however there was no change in the infection or mortality rates. No adverse effects were noted with the immune globulin treatments. One potential weakness of this study was the greater burn surface area and a higher incidence of inhalation injury in adult patients treated with i.v. immune globulin compared to controls.
Waymack
J P
JP
Shriners Burns Institute, Cincinnati Unit, Ohio.
Jenkins
M E
ME
Alexander
J W
JW
Warden
G D
GD
Miller
A C
AC
Carey
M
M
Ogle
C K
CK
Kopcha
R G
RG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007223:Infant; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation