title: Efficacy and safety of high-dose intravenous immune globulin therapy for antibody deficiency syndromes.
abstract: Ten patients with antibody deficiency syndromes were admitted to a treatment protocol in which the dose of intravenous immune serum globulin was increased from 100 mg/kg to a maximum of 250 mg/kg each four weeks. The dose increases were determined by recurrence of infection during treatment and by IgG trough levels of less than 400 mg/dl. Infectious episodes during intravenous immune serum globulin treatment responded well to 10 to 20 day long periods of antibiotic treatment, and prolonged infection-free periods were achieved in all patients. Only one hospital admission was necessary during the entire study period. The increase in intravenous immune serum globulin dose to 200 mg/kg did not significantly reduce the recurrence of infections. Infections also occurred in patients whose IgG trough levels were persistently above 400 mg/dl. High doses of intravenous immune serum globulin were well tolerated, and all patients are still receiving intravenous immune serum globulin treatment. A generalized pruritic rash was observed in two patients. In no patient have clinical or laboratory signs of deficiency in cell-mediated immunity developed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000009:adverse effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral / Q000009:adverse effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous