Significant dermatological side effects of intravenous immunoglobulin

Leprosy rash precipitated by immunotherapy for suspected inflammatory neuropathy

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae complex, causing skin and nerve lesions with potential for permanent disability. Leprosy can be overlooked in Western settings, as it is more prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries. We describe a 38-year-old woman with a 4-year history of progressive numbness of the left hand incorrectly diagnosed as multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy on the basis of clinical and neurophysiological findings. Treatment with empirical weekly corticosteroid followed by intravenous immunoglobulin resulted in the sudden development of a widespread rash; we then diagnosed borderline lepromatous leprosy on skin biopsy. We postulate that the immune treatments induced a temporary state of immune tolerance followed by a rebound of a T cell-mediated immune response resulting in a type 1 immunological response.

Diffuse exanthematous drug eruption associated with intravenous immunoglobulin

Diffuse exanthematous drug eruption due to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a rare adverse event reported only in case reports. We present a case of a 71-year-old woman with a diffuse maculopapular rash 5 days after receiving an IVIg infusion for treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. She was managed conservatively with antihistamines; she was already receiving prednisone 25 mg daily as part of treatment for the neuropathy. The rash resolved over 2 weeks.

Predictive factors of first dosage intravenous immunoglobulin-related adverse effects in children

BACKGROUND

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is used in the treatment of various diseases, and IVIG-related adverse effects (IVIG-AEs) vary from mild to severe. However, the mechanisms underlying IVIG-AEs and the potential predictive factors are not clear. This study investigated whether certain IVIG-AEs can be predicted before IVIG administration.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study at the Division of Neurology, Saitama Children's Medical Center included patients enrolled from 2008 to 2018 who were < 18 years old and received IVIG for the first time. IVIG-AEs were classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The rate of IVIG-AEs was 37.5% (39/104). The most frequent IVIG-AEs were fever (41.0% [16/39]) and headache (38.5% [15/39]). AEs were below grade 2 in all except one patient and there were no grade 4 AEs. High serum total protein (TP) level was significantly related to the occurrence of IVIG-AEs (odds ratio, 14.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-90.5; P < 0.01). The optimal cutoff TP level was 6.7 g/dL. Although low WBC count and immunoglobulin G level may be predictive risk factors of IVIG-AEs, it was not confirmed in this study.

CONCLUSION

IVIG-AEs occurred in 37.5% of cases, and most were mild. TP was the best predictive risk factor of IVIG-AEs before IVIG administration. These results may aid in elucidating the mechanism underlying IVIG-AEs.

Granuloma-like lesion at subcutaneous immunoglobulin site in a common variable immunodeficiency patient

Immunoglobulin therapy is the main stay in the treatment of primary antibody deficiencies. Granulomatous lesions are common complication in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). We present the first case of cutaneous granuloma-like lesion at site of subcutaneous immunoglobulin injections in a patient with CVID. These lesions resolve overtime following switching treatment to intravenous immunoglobulin. Unlike granulomas associated with CVID, granulomatous lesion in this patient did not require any specific therapy, and resolved over a period of 4 weeks following switching subcutaneous immunoglobulin to intravenous immunoglobulin.

Treatments for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP): an overview of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a chronic progressive or relapsing and remitting disease that usually causes weakness and sensory loss. The symptoms are due to autoimmune inflammation of peripheral nerves. CIPD affects about 2 to 3 per 100,000 of the population. More than half of affected people cannot walk unaided when symptoms are at their worst. CIDP usually responds to treatments that reduce inflammation, but there is disagreement about which treatment is most effective.

OBJECTIVES

To summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs) and non-Cochrane systematic reviews of any treatment for CIDP and to compare the effects of treatments.

METHODS

We considered all systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of any treatment for any form of CIDP. We reported their primary outcomes, giving priority to change in disability after 12 months.Two overview authors independently identified published systematic reviews for inclusion and collected data. We reported the quality of evidence using GRADE criteria. Two other review authors independently checked review selection, data extraction and quality assessments.On 31 October 2016, we searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (in theCochrane Library), MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL Plus for systematic reviews of CIDP. We supplemented the RCTs in the existing CSRs by searching on the same date for RCTs of any treatment of CIDP (including treatment of fatigue or pain in CIDP), in the Cochrane Neuromuscular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL Plus.

MAIN RESULTS

Five CSRs met our inclusion criteria. We identified 23 randomised trials, of which 15 had been included in these CSRs. We were unable to compare treatments as originally planned, because outcomes and outcome intervals differed. CorticosteroidsIt is uncertain whether daily oral prednisone improved impairment compared to no treatment because the quality of the evidence was very low (1 trial, 28 participants). According to moderate-quality evidence (1 trial, 41 participants), six months' treatment with high-dose monthly oral dexamethasone did not improve disability more than daily oral prednisolone. Observational studies tell us that prolonged use of corticosteroids sometimes causes serious side-effects. Plasma exchangeAccording to moderate-quality evidence (2 trials, 59 participants), twice-weekly plasma exchange produced more short-term improvement in disability than sham exchange. In the largest observational study, 3.9% of plasma exchange procedures had complications. Intravenous immunoglobulinAccording to high-quality evidence (5 trials, 269 participants), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) produced more short-term improvement than placebo. Adverse events were more common with IVIg than placebo (high-quality evidence), but serious adverse events were not (moderate-quality evidence, 3 trials, 315 participants). One trial with 19 participants provided moderate-quality evidence of little or no difference in short-term improvement of impairment with plasma exchange in comparison to IVIg. There was little or no difference in short-term improvement of disability with IVIg in comparison to oral prednisolone (moderate-quality evidence; 1 trial, 29 participants) or intravenous methylprednisolone (high-quality evidence; 1 trial, 45 participants). One unpublished randomised open trial with 35 participants found little or no difference in disability after three months of IVIg compared to oral prednisone; this trial has not yet been included in a CSR. We know from observational studies that serious adverse events related to IVIg do occur. Other immunomodulatory treatmentsIt is uncertain whether the addition of azathioprine (2 mg/kg) to prednisone improved impairment in comparison to prednisone alone, as the quality of the evidence is very low (1 trial, 27 participants). Observational studies show that adverse effects truncate treatment in 10% of people.According to low-quality evidence (1 trial, 60 participants), compared to placebo, methotrexate 15 mg/kg did not allow more participants to reduce corticosteroid or IVIg doses by 20%. Serious adverse events were no more common with methotrexate than with placebo, but observational studies show that methotrexate can cause teratogenicity, abnormal liver function, and pulmonary fibrosis.According to moderate-quality evidence (2 trials, 77 participants), interferon beta-1a (IFN beta-1a) in comparison to placebo, did not allow more people to withdraw from IVIg. According to moderate-quality evidence, serious adverse events were no more common with IFN beta-1a than with placebo.We know of no other completed trials of immunosuppressant or immunomodulatory agents for CIDP. Other treatmentsWe identified no trials of treatments for fatigue or pain in CIDP. Adverse effectsNot all trials routinely collected adverse event data; when they did, the quality of evidence was variable. Adverse effects in the short, medium, and long term occur with all interventions. We are not able to make reliable comparisons of adverse events between the interventions included in CSRs.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We cannot be certain based on available evidence whether daily oral prednisone improves impairment compared to no treatment. However, corticosteroids are commonly used, based on widespread availability, low cost, very low-quality evidence from observational studies, and clinical experience. The weakness of the evidence does not necessarily mean that corticosteroids are ineffective. High-dose monthly oral dexamethasone for six months is probably no more or less effective than daily oral prednisolone. Plasma exchange produces short-term improvement in impairment as determined by neurological examination, and probably produces short-term improvement in disability. IVIg produces more short-term improvement in disability than placebo and more adverse events, although serious side effects are probably no more common than with placebo. There is no clear difference in short-term improvement in impairment with IVIg when compared with intravenous methylprednisolone and probably no improvement when compared with either oral prednisolone or plasma exchange. According to observational studies, adverse events related to difficult venous access, use of citrate, and haemodynamic changes occur in 3% to17% of plasma exchange procedures.It is uncertain whether azathioprine is of benefit as the quality of evidence is very low. Methotrexate may not be of benefit and IFN beta-1a is probably not of benefit.We need further research to identify predictors of response to different treatments and to compare their long-term benefits, safety and cost-effectiveness. There is a need for more randomised trials of immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents, routes of administration, and treatments for symptoms of CIDP.