title: Suppressive effect of intravenous immunoglobulin on peripheral blood neutrophil count in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on neutrophil count, the authors studied patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one of 40 patients with ITP were treated with an IVIG regimen (400 mg/kg/daily for 5 days), while the other 9 were observed without any medications. Peripheral samples were examined during the clinical course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The absolute neutrophil count in 22 patients with no fever as a side effect decreased significantly by day 2 after the start of IVIG, but in most patients it began to increase soon after the last IVIG. There was also a significant difference between the decreased level of the absolute neutrophil count in patients with and without IVIG. However, re-administration of IVIG within 2 weeks did not significantly suppress the neutrophil count. In contrast, the neutrophil count increased in every patient with a fever as a side effect of IVIG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IVIG induced a decrease in peripheral blood neutrophil count in patients with ITP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan. fwiw4736@mb.infoweb.ne.jp
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Mitsuoki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eguchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous