title: Intravenous immunoglobulins containing antibodies against beta-amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Active or passive immunisation can mitigate plaque pathology in murine models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, it has been shown that antibodies against beta-amyloid (Abeta) are present in human immunoglobulin preparations (IVIgG), which specifically recognise and inhibit the neurotoxic effects of Abeta. This study reports the results from a pilot study using IVIgG in patients with AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with AD were enrolled and received monthly IVIgG over a 6 month period. Efficacy assessment included total Abeta/Abeta(1-42) measured in the CSF/serum as well as effects on cognition (ADAS-cog; CERAD) at baseline and at 6 months following IVIgG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following IVIgG, total Abeta levels in the CSF decreased by 30.1% (17.3-43.5%) compared to baseline (p<0.05). Total Abeta increased in the serum by 233% (p<0.05). No significant change was found in Abeta(1-42) levels in the CSF/serum. Using ADAS-cog, an improvement of 3.7+/-2.9 points was detected. Scores in the MMSE were essentially unchanged (improved in four patients, stable in one patient) following IVIgG compared to baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the sample size of this pilot study is too small to draw a clear conclusion, the results of this pilot study provide evidence for a more detailed investigation of IVIgG for the treatment of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, Sigmund-Freudstr. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. richard.dodel@ukb.uni-bonn.de
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Dodel
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Depboylu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hampel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frölich
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haag
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hemmeter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paulsen
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Teipel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brettschneider
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spottke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nölker
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farlow
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Oertel
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous