Corticosteroids for prevention of adverse reactions to intravenous immune serum globulin infusions in hypogammaglobulinemic patients.

Severe adverse reactions to intravenous immune serum globulin occurred repeatedly in four of 10 hypogammaglobulinemic patients. Treatment-limiting symptoms included fever, chills, headache, hypertension, and chest pain. Pretreatment of patients with hydrocortisone immediately prior to infusion prevented subsequent adverse reactions and permitted these patients to receive immune serum globulin intravenously.