CONTROLLED TRIAL OF ORALLY-ADMINISTERED IMMUNOGLOBULIN FOLLOWING BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

Between May 1987 and September 1989, 72 patients undergoing marrow tra nsplantation at a single institution were randomized to receive 50 mg/ kg of a commercial gammaglobulin preparation or placebo daily in four divided doses for 28 days following transplantation. Patients receivin g oral gammaglobulin had significantly increased concentrations of sto ol IgG (p = 0.01) compared with the placebo group. There was no differ ence in the amount of diarrhea, frequency of GVHD, duration of hospita lization or survival in the two groups. The present study demonstrates that orally administered IgG can survive passage through the gastroin testinal tract of bone marrow transplantation recipients but there was no effect of oral administration of immunoglobulin on morbidity or mo rtality following bone marrow transplantation.