Open AccessComparison of two types of intravenous immunoglobulins in the treatment of neonatal sepsis
Author(s) -
HAQUE K. N.,
REMO C.,
BAHAKIM H.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1995.tb08359.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sepsis , neonatal sepsis , antibiotics , antibody , gestation , immunology , prospective cohort study , gastroenterology , pregnancy , pediatrics , biology , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY 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 = 019 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.