TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC VASCULITIS WITH POOLED INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN

The therapeutic effect of a course of high-dose, pooled, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) on disease activity and circulating antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) was investigated in 7 patients with systemic vasculitis. 5 had active disease despite conventional immunosuppression, and 2 had not received any treatment. All 7 had clinical improvement, which was sustained in 6 and transient in 1. The fall in ANCA concentrations to a mean of 51% of the pre-treatment values was maintained during follow-up. C-reactive protein concentration also dropped considerably. IVIg seemed to confer a useful therapeutic effect without adverse reaction.