title: Use of immunoglobulins in adults in a university hospital: a retrospective study.
abstract: New applications are always being developed for immunoglobulins; new recommendations are regularly published. We wished to know the indications used in a large hospital. A hundred and thirty-six adult patients were prescribed immunoglobulins from January to December 2008. Three preparations in intravenous immunoglobulins were available (one liquid, 2 freeze-dried). Fourteen charts were rejected for clerical errors. A hundred and twenty two charts were available for statistical study. Thirty-six patients were on immunoglobulins for antibody deficiency, 19 were followed in haematology for chronic lymphoid leukaemia or multiple myeloma, 19 were treated after lung transplantation, 17 had received a kidney transplant, 1 after heart transplantation: these indications were substitution. Twenty for Guillain Barré and chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy, 10 in immune thrombocytopenic purpura: this was for immunomodulation. Recommendations were followed by the prescribers; charts were reviewed in March and November 2009. Side-effects were rare. (0.6%) (1).
authors.affiliation: Immunodeficiency Treatment Unit, Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Hôpital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium. claire.michele.farber@erasme.ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Farber
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van der Biest-Cardinal
mesh_terms: D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous