Open AccessA Prospective, Randomized, Double‐Blinded, Placebo‐Controlled Study of Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin for the Acute Management of Presumptive Primary Immune‐Mediated Thrombocytopenia in Dogs
Author(s) -
Bianco D.,
Armstrong P.J.,
Washabau R.J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2009.0358.x
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , adverse effect , platelet , clinical endpoint , randomized controlled trial , adjunctive treatment , anesthesia , emergency department , clinical trial , prospective cohort study , surgery , alternative medicine , pathology , psychiatry
Background: Immune‐mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT) is a common hematologic disorder in dogs. Human intravenous immunoglobulin (hIVIG) may have a beneficial effect in canine IMT. Hypothesis: A single hIVIG infusion (0.5 g/kg) in dogs with presumed primary IMT (pIMT) is a safe adjunctive emergency treatment to accelerate platelet count recovery and shorten hospitalization time without increasing the cost of patient care. Animals: Eighteen client‐owned dogs with a presumptive diagnosis of pIMT. Methods: Prospective, randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Results: There were no identifiable immediate or delayed adverse reactions associated with hIVIG administration over a 6‐month period. The median platelet count recovery time for the hIVIG group was 3.5 days (mean ± SD: 3.7 ± 1.3 days; range, 2–7 days) and 7.5 days (mean ± SD: 7.8 ± 3.9 days; range, 3–12 days) for the placebo group. The median duration of hospitalization for hIVIG group was 4 days (mean ± SD: 4.2 ± 0.4 days; range, 2–8 days) and 8 days (mean ± SD: 8.3 ± 0.6 days; range, 4–12 days) for the placebo group. There was no significant difference between groups with respect to expense of initial patient care, whereas significant reduction in platelet count recovery time ( P = .018) and duration of hospitalization ( P = .027) were detected in the hIVIG group. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Compared with corticosteroids alone, adjunctive emergency therapy of a single hIVIG infusion was safe and associated with a significant reduction in platelet count recovery time and duration of hospitalization without increasing the expense of medical care in a small group of dogs with presumed pIMT.