M. Stangel et al., Placebo controlled pilot trial to study the remyelinating potential of intravenous immunoglobulins in multiple sclerosis, J NE NE PSY, 68(1), 2000, pp. 89-92
Currently there is no treatment available to improve a stable deficit in mu
ltiple sclerosis. It was shown in animal models that intravenous immunoglob
ulins (IVIg) can enhance central nervous remyelination, and the first open
trials were promising. We therefore conducted a double blind, placebo contr
olled pilot study to evaluate the effect of IVIg treatment in patients with
multiple sclerosis with a stable clinical deficit. The primary outcome par
ameter was the change in central motor conduction time as an indirect measu
re of central myelination. Secondary outcome parameters were neurological e
xaminations including the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), neurolog
ical rating scale (NRS), and manual muscle testing (MMT). Ten patients were
treated first with placebo and then with IVIg (0.4 g/kg body weight on 5 c
onsecutive days), the two treatments being separated by an interval of 6 we
eks. There was no difference in the central motor conduction times measured
before and 6 weeks after each treatment. Clinically there was a small impr
ovement after IVIg treatment, but there was no significant difference when
compared with placebo. In conclusion, our data do not support a role for IV
Ig in the remyelination of stable multiple sclerosis lesions as measured by
central conduction time. The importance of the small clinical benefit is c
urrently not clear.