IVIG in APS pregnancy.
For more than two decades, the intravenous administration of high doses of IgG pooled from the plasma of healthy donors (immune globulin therapy, also known as 'IVIG') has benefited patients with a variety of autoimmune disorders. A potential therapeutic role of IVIG in the prevention of thrombosis and of miscarriages in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has been postulated. Multicenter randomized controlled trials attempted to define the role of IVIG in preventing pregnancy complications in APS indicate that simple anticoagulation could not be completely satisfactory, and certain patient subgroups might take advantage of IVIG therapy alone or in combination with heparin.
Sezione di Reumatologia, Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. triolog@tiscalinet.it
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D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000517:prevention & control; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous