IgM-enriched immunoglobulin (pentaglobin) positively influences the course of post-surgical intra-abdominal infections.
BACKGROUND
Polyvalent IgM-enriched intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations are discussed to be beneficial regarding sepsis outcome.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients with abdominal infection were treated with Pentaglobin or Albumin. Serum levels of endotoxin and chemokines were determined.


RESULTS
Incidence of fever was 19/28 in the pentaglobin and 18/26 in the albumin group, the percentage of days with fever was 34 +/- 26 for pentaglobin and 43 +/- 25 for albumin (mean +/-SD). Procalcitonin levels of the pentaglobin treated patients fell under the upper limit of normal on day six whereas levels of albumin patients remained elevated.


CONCLUSIONS
Pentaglobin has a positive influence on the course of post-surgery intra-abdominal infection.
Reith
H B
HB
Department of Surgery, Klinikum Konstanz, Luisenstrasse 7, D-78464-Konstanz, Germany. bernd.reith@klinikum-konstanz.de
Rauchschwalbe
S K
SK
Mittelkötter
U
U
Engemann
R
R
Thiede
A
A
Arnold
A
A
Lissner
R
R
D018806:APACHE; D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000502:physiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
D000418:Albumins; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016209:Interleukin-8; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002116:Calcitonin; C060166:pentaglobulin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide