Efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura - A study of 44 cases

Thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP) is characterised by platelet agg regation in the capillaries, thrombocytopaenia and microangiopathic haemoly tic anaemia that result in organ ischaemia, mainly of the CNS and kidneys. Since the institution of plasma exchange therapy no further treatments have been proved to improve the survival and the relapse rate of TTP patients. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of normal human immu noglobulin treatment in 44 patients suffering from TTP. Patients were divid ed into two groups that either did not receive (group A: 15 patients) or re ceived (group B: 29 patients) 400 mg/kg of human normal immunoglobulin intr avenously (ivIgG) for 5 days. All patients received treatment with corticos teroids, anti-platelet agents and plasma exchange. The results clearly show ed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two g roups in either remission rate or time to relapse following remission. In c onclusion, this study did not prove any beneficial effect of ivIgG in the t reatment of TTP patients. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.