Immunoglobulin Supplementation Research Articles

IgA nephropathy

IgAN is the most common type of glomerulonephritis worldwide, and is found more in men and distinctly less in blacks. It presents with macroscopic hematuria in about 40 to 45% of patients, with microscopic hematuria and proteinuria in about 35 to 40%, and with nephrotic syndrome or acute renal failure in the remainder. The diagnosis continues to rely on the finding of the dominant or codominant mesangial deposition of IgA on immunohistologic examination of the kidney. No blood or urine test is sufficiently reliable for diagnosis. While the pathogenesis remains unknown, accumulating evidence suggests that polyclonal stimulation of immunoglobulins perhaps coupled with structural abnormalities of IgA play pivotal roles. These defects may account for the variety of autoantibodies detected in patients with both IgAN and HSP. While IgAN has an indolent course, about 30% of patients will reach ESRD after 20 years, particularly in those who present with hypertension, heavy proteinuria or renal insufficiency. At present, therapy is disappointing, but immunoglobulin supplementation and newer agents that interrupt the pathways of mesangial proliferation and sclerosis hold promise for the future. Kidney transplantation has shown excellent allograft survival.

The effect of colostral immunoglobulin supplement on the passive immunity, growth and health of neonatal calves

Neonatal dairy calves were randomly allotted to three colostrum feeding regimens with increasing intakes of immunoglobulins (Ig) on the first day of life. The control group was fed one litre of pooled colostrum (Ig intake 19.5 g). In two experimental groups, the pooled colostrum was supplemented with 0.5 or 1.5 litres of commercial Ig-concentrate, giving a total Ig intake of 52.7 and 119.0 g, respectively. Serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels increased linearly (p < 0.001) on day 2 post partum with the increasing Ig intake. The calculated mean Ig-absorption rate was 61% and decreased linearly for IgM (p = 0.051) and IgG (p = 0.078) with increasing Ig intake. At the highest Ig intake, serum IgG remained above 10 g/l during 30 days post partum. In the experimental groups, serum IgM and IgA decreased sharply during the first week of life and were relatively constant thereafter. In the control group, however, there was an increase in serum IgM after one week post partum, perhaps due to the in situ production of Ig. With the increasing Ig intake there was a small and non-significant tendency for better live weight gain (p = 0.286) and a lower incidence of diarrhoea (p = 0.421) during the first four weeks of life. It is concluded that the Ig-product tested is well absorbed during 24 hours post partum and it can be used either as a supplement to maternal colostrum when its quality is poor, or as a substitute when colostrum is not available.

Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A brief review

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disorder with multiple defects leading to an increased susceptibility to infection. Hypogammaglobulinemia is present in about 20% to 70% of patients with CLL. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) supplementation (400 mg/kg body weight every 3 weeks) prevented bacterial infections in these patients. An ongoing study is being conducted to compare doses of 250 mg/kg/mo with those of 500 mg/kg/mo in 36 patients included so far. As of this writing, the rate of infection in the two treatment groups was not significantly different, and no substantial loss of protection against bacterial infection was found in the lower-dose group. It seems likely that the lower dose is almost as effective as the standard therapy. If this is so, cost savings would be substantial.

The effect of a plasma derived immunoglobulin supplement on the survival and growth of neonatal piglets

Neonatal mortality represents a major loss of production efficiency for herds throughout the world and despite research and development work spanning many years the losses are still not tolerable either in economic terms or in terms of animal welfare. In the United Kingdom where producers are amongst the very best, the Meat and Livestock Commission estimate that pre-weaning mortality nationally is of the order of 12.8% of all piglets born alive (MLC, 1984).The causes of death are well documented (Spicer et al 1986) but overlying, starvation, chilling and pathological problems are principal components. Central to all of these factors may be the events occurring within the first hours of a piglets life and those animals which are first born which suckle quickly and effectively have a high probability of survival.Conversely, those piglets which are later born and which are also smaller than the average for the litter may be at a severe disadvantage because of the competitive environment around the udder of the sow after parturition. Modern hybrid sows also vary widely in their ability to produce colostrum (Varley,1984)

Common Variable Hypogammaglobulinemia A Case Report

We describe a patient with severe common variable hypogammaglobulinemia (CVH) whose clinical course was dominated by resistant giardiasis requiring prolonged hospitalization. The giardiasis was eventually controlled by initial metronidazole and subsequent mepacrine therapy, but side effects necessitated the withdrawal of both of these drugs. Replacement immunoglobulin treatment failed to restore normal serum immunoglobulin levels, but despite this, they appeared to be of value in reducing the liability to recurrent giardiasis. We discuss the use of immunoglobulin supplementation in this condition and the frequent association between CVH and pentagastrinfast achlorhydria.

Immunoglobulin supplementation in prevention or treatment of neonatal sepsis

Immunoglobulin supplementation in prevention or treatment of neonatal sepsis