Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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CLINICAL RESPONSE TO INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN ACUTE INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING POLYRADICULONEUROPATHY

IOAN BURAGA1, ROXANA-ELENA MARTIN1*, ADRIAN DOBRESCU1, IOANA BURAGA2

1Department of Neurology, Colentina Clinical Hospital, No.19-21 Stefan cel Mare Str., RO-020125, Bucharest
2Department of ATI, Colentina Clinical Hospital, No.19-21 Stefan cel Mare Str., RO-020125, Bucharest

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Immunoglobulin pharmaceutical preparations are sterile concentrated antibodies. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IV Ig) exerts its effect through modulation of expression and function of Fc receptors, interference with complement activation and the cytokine network, provision of antiidiotypic antibodies, modulation of T and B cell activation. The efficacy of IV Ig has been proved to be grade A recommendation for the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies. GBS is an acute inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system thought to be due to autoimmunity. This etiology led to our study where we investigated the timing, course and clinical characteristics of the response to intravenous immunoglobulin. We examined retrospectively the records of 69 patients with GBS. Every patient received 0.4g/kg body weight immunoglobulin, for 5 days, every 4 weeks for up to 20 weeks. The data revealed that more participants responded after the second courses of IV Ig treatment. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin in the first two weeks from symptoms onset has proved efficient in shortening recovery time in patients with GBS.