Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy: indications, potential side effects, and treatment guidelines

Abstract

Although intravenous immunoglobulin therapy is used mainly as a replacement therapy in humoral immune deficiency disorders and congenital or acquired conditions, the indications for its use have expanded over the last decade to other disease states, such as autoimmune diseases and variable chronic inflammatory syndromes. The ability to administer large achieving rapidly effective serum immunoglobulin G levels under painless conditions are the main advantages of this form of therapy. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy has a high safety record although side effects range from mild anaphylactoid reactions to potential life-threatening reactions. It is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms of these potential reactions to assure safe administration.