title: A proposed dosing algorithm for the individualized dosing of human immunoglobulin in chronic inflammatory neuropathies.
abstract: Dosing guidelines for immunoglobulin (Ig) treatment in neurological disorders do not consider variations in Ig half-life or between patients. Individualization of therapy could optimize clinical outcomes and help control costs. We developed an algorithm to optimize Ig dose based on patient's response and present this here as an example of how dosing might be individualized in a pharmacokinetically rational way and how this achieves potential dose and cost savings. Patients are "normalized" with no more than two initial doses of 2 g/kg, identifying responders. A third dose is not administered until the patient's condition deteriorates, allowing a "dose interval" to be set. The dose is then reduced until relapse allowing dose optimization. Using this algorithm, we have individualized Ig doses for 71 chronic inflammatory neuropathy patients. The majority of patients had chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (n = 39) or multifocal motor neuropathy (n = 24). The mean (standard deviation) dose of Ig administered was 1.4 (0.6) g/kg, with a mean dosing interval of 4.3 weeks (median 4 weeks, range 0.5-10). Use of our standardized algorithm has allowed us to quickly optimize Ig dosing.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lunn
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: King's College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hadden
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Yusuf A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Rajabally
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Winer
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reilly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020277:Polyradiculoneuropathy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
keywords: CIDP; MMN; dosing algorithm; human neuropathy; immunoglobulin