The effect of gamma globulin in pustular acne.

One of us (LWS) bad occasion to treat a young white man with gamma globulin for prophylaxis after exposure to infectious hepatitis. He was given two injections, 10 cc. each, of human Poliomyelitis Immune Globulin, one week apart. It was observed that shortly after the second injection, his severe pustular and indurated acne improved considerably. This observation led to the present study, of which this is a preliminary report. This study of the therapeutic effect of gamma globulin in pustular acne is coupled with a study of the serum protein and C-reactive protein levels before and after treatment. Method: Four patients in their late teens, otherwise healthy, but with severe pustular and cystic acne that had been resistant to conventional methods of treatment were selected for the study. All therapy for acne was discontinued. On two successive weeks 10 cc. of Poliomyelitis Immune Globulin containing 165 15 mg per cc of the globulin fraction of pooled normal human plasma, were injected intramuscularly. At the time of the first injection and one week after the second, fasting blood specimens were drawn for C-reactive protein, serum albumin, serum globulin, and gamma globulin determinations. The patients were observed at two week intervals for observation of the clinical response.