Intravenous immunoglobulin in HIV infection.

Uses of intravenous immunoglobulin

Adjuvant high dose IVIgs are being used increasingly in a range of immune-mediated and auto-immune diseases. Although numerous immunomodulatory mechanisms have been suggested, the exact mechanisms of action are poorly understood. The efficacy of IVIg in certain diseases has been proven in clinical trials, in so far as IVIg is approved as the therapy of choice for Kawasaki syndrome and idiopathi...

Intravenous immunoglobulin for resistant Clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile (CD)-associated diarrhoea and colitis may relapse in up to 20% of treated patients. We present a patient who failed to respond over a 6-month period to treatment either singly or in combination with metronidazole, vancomycin, rifampicin, cholestyramine and probiotics. Her diarrhoea rapidly resolved after a 3-day course of intravenous immunoglobulin. This treatment may comp...

Outcome of Intravenous Immunoglobulin-Transmitted HTLV-I, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV infections

Intravenous immunoglobulin in HIV infection: evidence for the efficacy of treatment.

Eight children with symptoms of HIV infection were treated for 12-26 months (median 14 months) with infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin (200 mg/kg) every three weeks. Significant improvement was noted in all children in terms of weight gain, number of infectious episodes, and days spent in hospital. This resulted in a 49% saving in cost on treatment compared with costs accrued previously du...

Intravenous immunoglobulin in HIV-I infected haemophilic patients.

In order to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the early stages of HIV infection (patients without AIDS or AIDS related complex) a prospective controlled open trial was conducted in 36 patients (age 6-19 years) with haemophilia. Eighteen patients received 0.3 g/kg IVIG at two week intervals; 18 patients served as controls. Major criteria for the evaluation were progre...