SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2007

September 14, 2007

IV immunoglobulin treatment of skin disorders

Summary
Background - Intravenous immunoglobulin (IV Ig) therapy has been increasingly attempted in a variety of skin disorders.

Findings - This subject was reviewed by Prins et al of the Geneva Univ Medical School in Switzerland. IV Ig has been tried in dermatomyositis, Kawasaki's disease, autoimmune bullous skin diseases, severe drug reactions and atopic dermatitis. Although supportive evidence for clinical efficacy of IV Ig in double blind placebo controlled studies exists for only dermatomyositis and Kawasaki's disease, there is suggestive evidence for a role of IV Ig as a substitute for more toxic systemic immunosuppressive therapy in the other skin disorders.

Reference
Acta Derm-Venereol 2007;87:206-18

Editor's Comments
This is a balanced discussion of a therapeutic approach that has become an immunologic "last rites" in some quarters, tried when there is no obvious effective therapy. Part of this liberal "off-label" use of IV Ig is due to the usual safety of IV Ig therapy. However, with increasing and higher dosage IV Ig therapy, systemic side effects, occasionally serious, have been observed.

 

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