Comparison of two types of intravenous immunoglobulins in the treatment of neonatal sepsis

Abstract

In a prospective double-blind study, standard intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was compared with an IgM-enriched IVIG in the treatment of neonatal sepsis. The two treatment groups were also compared with matched controls. One hundred and thirty babies (65 in each group) ranging from 0 to 24 days old, 480 to 4200 g in weight and born between 24 and 42 weeks of gestation who had, or were suspected of having, sepsis were given either standard IVIG or IgM-enriched IVIG (250 mg/kg per day) for 4 days in addition to supportive and antibiotic therapy. A further 65 babies who received similar supportive, antibiotic and fluids but not IVIG were used as matched controls. Mortality from infection in 'culture proven sepsis' was 3/44 (6.8%) in the IgM-enriched IVIG group, 6/42 (14.2%) in the standard IVIG group, and 11/43 (25.5%) in the control group (P = 0.017, IgM versus control, P = 0.19 standard IVIG versus control). There was no statistical difference in the outcome between the two immunoglobulin therapy groups (P = 0.25). The study indicates that IVIG improves outcome in neonatal sepsis when used as an adjunct to supportive and antibiotic therapy, but larger studies are required to confirm this.