Insisting upon intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in polymiositis case after severe hemolytic anemia.

A 23-year-old female with polymyositis received high dose intraveinous immu noglobulin (IVIg) therapy. The patient suffered severe hemolytic anemia aft er receiving first course of IVIg infusion. This adverse reaction was likel y due to allohemaglutinin A and B and from or high molecular weight IgG com plexes contained in the preparation. Though this effect was observed, the t reatment was repeated six times. A mild hemolysis occurred following each I VIg, with no clinical consequence. Involvement of the saturation of macroph agic receptors might explain this partial destruction of erythrocytes. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicates Elsevier SAS.