Treatment by intravenous immunoglobulins in autoimmune diseases of children. Mechanism of action and indications
Abstract
The usefulness of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in autoimmune diseases was discovered in sixties as a side effect of IVIG treatment used as a substitution of immunoglobulins in patients with immune deficiency. This review article covers the current knowledge about the mechanisms of action of IVIG used in autoimmune conditions and further gives the information on clinical groups of diseases of children in which the treatment with IVIG was proved to be efficient.
These major discussed clinical conditions are systemic or organ specific autoimmune diseases, inflammatory or demyelinating diseases of nervous system and autoimmune diseases connected with immunodeficiencies. The references of major organized clinical trials with IVIG treatment in children are included.
The classical and beneficial appeared to be the IVIG treatment of Kawasaki syndrome. Other cases indicated for IVIG treatment have to be judged individually with respect to the medical and economical benefits of IVIG treatment.