Role of intravenous immunoglobulin preparations (IVIG) in therapy of autoimmune diseases

Indications for application of high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin preparations (intravenous immunoglobulins - IVIG) have been significantly broadened in the recent decade. Results of the recent controlled clinical studies have accentuated a particular therapeutic value of IVIG in Kawasaki syndrome. At present, the treatment of choice for acute Kawasaki syndrome is a single dose of IVIG, at 2 gm/kg administered over 10-12 hours, in combination with acetylsalicylic acid. Literature of last years contains reports of variable effectiveness of IVIG in other autoimmune diseases, like anti-phospholipid syndrome, severe forms of thrombocytopenia in the course of systemic lupus erythematosus, some other severe forms of lupus with multiorgan manifestation, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, juvenile dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. Attempts were made to administer IVIG in the course of lupus nephritis, systemic vasculitis and in the severe form of systemic juvenile arthritis. On the other hand, no favorable effects of IVIG could be demonstrated in rheumatoid arthritis.