OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Ten patients with active, severe RA that was unresponsive to first- and second-line agents were administered IVIg monthly, for 6 months. RESULTS: Following IVIg treatment, there was significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters of disease activity in all 9 patients who completed the protocol. This improvement was noted to occur as early as after the second infusion of IVIg. After discontinuation of the treatment, all patients had a relapse of the disease within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: Since the reduction in clinical activity paralleled a decrease in the CD4+CDw29+:CD4+CD45RA+ cell ratio, some of the therapeutic benefits associated with IVIg may be due to a direct influence on the CD4+CD45RA+ subset. Although the possibility of carrying out further controlled studies on a larger scale is limited by the high cost of the treatment, IVIg appears to be an effective therapy for refractory RA.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Ten patients with active, severe RA that was unresponsive to first- and second-line agents were administered IVIg monthly, for 6 months. RESULTS: Following IVIg treatment, there was significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters of disease activity in all 9 patients who completed the protocol. This improvement was noted to occur as early as after the second infusion of IVIg. After discontinuation of the treatment, all patients had a relapse of the disease within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: Since the reduction in clinical activity paralleled a decrease in the CD4+CDw29+:CD4+CD45RA+ cell ratio, some of the therapeutic benefits associated with IVIg may be due to a direct influence on the CD4+CD45RA+ subset. Although the possibility of carrying out further controlled studies on a larger scale is limited by the high cost of the treatment, IVIg appears to be an effective therapy for refractory RA.
Authors: N Svetlicky; S Kivity; Q Odeh; O Shovman; S Gertel; H Amital; O Gendelman; A Volkov; I Barshack; E Bar-Meir; M Blank; Y Shoenfeld Journal: Clin Exp Immunol Date: 2015-09-24 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: C Muscat; A Bertotto; R Ercolani; O Bistoni; E Agea; M Cesarotti; G Fiorucci; F Spinozzi; R Gerli Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 1995-05 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Ulrike Harre; Stefanie C Lang; René Pfeifle; Yoann Rombouts; Sabine Frühbeißer; Khaled Amara; Holger Bang; Anja Lux; Carolien A Koeleman; Wolfgang Baum; Katharina Dietel; Franziska Gröhn; Vivianne Malmström; Lars Klareskog; Gerhard Krönke; Roland Kocijan; Falk Nimmerjahn; René E M Toes; Martin Herrmann; Hans Ulrich Scherer; Georg Schett Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2015-03-31 Impact factor: 14.919
Authors: G Halpert; I Katz; M Blank; O Shovman; S Tarasov; K K Ganina; N Petrova; M Tocut; A Volkov; I Barshack; H Amital Journal: Clin Exp Immunol Date: 2020-10-26 Impact factor: 5.732