Evidence-based guidelines on the use of intravenous immune globulin for hematologic and neurologic conditions.
In Canada, intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) use has increased by 115% over the past 7 to 8 years. Given this increased usage, Canadian Blood Services and the National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products for Canada identified the need to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines to facilitate appropriate IVIG use. As a result, guidelines for IVIG use in hematologic and neurologic conditions have been developed and are published in this supplement of Transfusion Medicine Reviews. This commentary provides a brief description of the process used to develop these guidelines and includes a summary of the recommendations for IVIG use in the various conditions evaluated.
Robinson
Paula
P
Transfusion Medicine, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Anderson
David
D
Brouwers
Melissa
M
Feasby
Thomas E
TE
Hume
Heather
H
D001771:Blood Banks; D002170:Canada; D004363:Drug Utilization; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous