Using immunoglobulins in muscular disease treatment.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) have been proven in the past two decades to be potent immunomodulators. This led to the licensing and recommendation of IVIg as first-line treatment for Kawasaki disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

OBJECTIVE:

To review the evidence and indications for the use of IVIg in the treatment of muscular diseases.

METHODS:

Literature search in PubMed and of further literature cited in these articles.

RESULTS/CONCLUSION:

There are small randomised controlled trials that demonstrate the efficacy of IVIg in dermatomyositis, myasthenic crisis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and stiff-person syndrome. However, since there are also alternative treatments IVIgs are mostly used in these diseases as alternatives when other therapeutic approaches have failed.

• Authors: Refik Pul, Martin Stangel
• Journal: Expert opinion on biological therapy (Expert Opin Biol Ther) Vol. 8 Issue 8 Pg. 1143-50 (Aug 2008) ISSN: 1744-7682 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18613765 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous

Topics

• Humans
• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous (therapeutic use)
• Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (drug therapy)
• Myasthenia Gravis (drug therapy)
• Myositis (drug therapy)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Stiff-Person Syndrome (drug therapy)