title: Relationship of the dose of intravenous gammaglobulin to the prevention of infections in adults with common variable immunodeficiency.
abstract: The objective was to assess clinical efficacy of 3 dosages of intravenous gammaglobulins to prevent infectious episodes in adult common variable immunodeficiency. We designed a randomized, double blind, dose-assessing study. The setting was at University Hospital, Out-patient Clinic. Our patients were twenty-one adult patients with common variable immunodeficiency. The measurements were comparative study of the number and severity of infections using 3 various dosages of intravenous gammaglobulins, each given monthly for M least 6 months. Results indicated four hundred and eighty-four infectious episodes occurred while giving 305 infusions of IVIG 200 mg/kg; 205 infectious episodes while giving 170 infusions of 400 mg/kg and 436 infectious episodes while giving 247 infusions of 600 mg/kg. The morbidity scores (infection/infusion) were 1.59, 1.21 and 1.77 respectively (p - N/S). There was no significant difference in the severity of infections on the above 3 dosages, and no difference in the duration of infection-free intervals. The conclusions resulted in no significant differences in morbidity in adult patients with common variable immunodeficiency treated in cross-over pattern with IVIG 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg. Thus, high dosages of IVIG are not conferring better protection against infections in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology, Wellesley Hospital Research Institute University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pruzanski
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dorian
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ibanez
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Redelmeier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017074:Common Variable Immunodeficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous