title: Churg-Strauss syndrome and pregnancy: successful treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.
abstract: Churg-Strauss syndrome is an extremely rare disease, and even less common in women of childbearing age. The initial management of Churg-Strauss syndrome consists of high doses of corticosteroids. Patients with severe disease, or those who are unresponsive to corticosteroids, usually are treated with cytotoxic drugs. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has become a promising, but not completely accepted, form of treatment for systemic vasculitis that is unresponsive to standard therapy. We present a case of a woman diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome that was refractory to corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide treatment. When she was found to be 3 months pregnant, treatment with IVIg was instituted with successful results. This case not only supports the beneficial effect of IVIg in Churg-Strauss syndrome, it illustrates its successful use in a patient who was pregnant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA. srutberg@excite.com
authors.forename: Samara Amaris
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rutberg
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Bernard J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Roth