INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN PATIENTS WI TH ARC AND AIDS

HIV-infected patients acquire a profound dysfunction in humoral and ce llular immunity. This immunological impairment causes a markedly incre ased incidence of recurrent infections. While effective prophylaxis of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is available, infections with other mi croorganisms still cause a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Preli minary results of our randomized outpatient trial to evaluate the effi cacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in adults demonstrate that I VIG reduces the episodes of fever, diarrhea, and the duration of hospi talization. We also found a significant reduction of mortality due to infection.