Intravenous immune globulin (i.v.IG) therapy in steroid-resistant atopic dermatitis.

Many trials have been done on steroid-resistant atopic dermatitis. Recently, intravenous immune globulin (i.v.IG) was reported to be effective in the treatment of steroid-dependent atopic dermatitis. The aim of this study was to clarify whether i.v.IG therapy is effective in steroid-resistant atopic dermatitis. Forty-one steroid-resistant atopic dermatitis patients were tested in this study. Patients who weighed less than 30 kg were administered 500 mg/kg of i.v.IG. Patients who weighed 30 kg or more were administered 15 g of i.v.IG. Patient evaluations and laboratory tests with peripheral bloods such as eosinophil percentages and serum IgE levels were performed at days 0, 1, 7, and 21. In the present study, patients who responded to i.v.IG therapy were classified as Group A. Twelve patients who showed transient effects with lower clinical significance were classified as Group B (29.3%). Remaining 12 patients (29.3%) in Group C showed no improvement at all. Serum IgE levels and blood eosinophil percentages were markedly decreased in Group A. I.v.IG therapy may be recommended in the treatment of atopic dermatitis with extremely high serum IgE levels.