Intravenous immunoglobulins in peripheral neuropathy associated with vasculitis.

BACKGROUND Peripheral neuropathy is a prominent feature of the systemic and secondary vasculitides. Usually, it is responsive to corticosteroids, but in certain cases it may be resistant to corticosteroid or immunosuppressive treatment, or both. OBJECTIVE To present patients who exhibited various inflammatory diseases accompanied with vasculitic peripheral neuropathies for which intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) was used for treatment. METHODS Six patients with Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vaccination induced vasculitis, Churg-Strauss vasculitis, mixed cryoglobulinaemia associated with hepatitis C infection, or sarcoidosis were included. All developed vasculitic peripheral neuropathy, and were treated with high dose IVIg (2 g/kg body weight). The patients were followed up for 1-5 years after this treatment. RESULTS In four patients (Sjögren's syndrome, Churg-Strauss vasculitis, SLE, and vaccination induced vasculitis) the neuropathy resolved after IVIg treatment. CONCLUSION IVIg may be beneficial in cases of resistant vasculitic peripheral neuropathy. IVIg should probably be considered as a sole or adjuvant treatment for patients with contraindications to conventional treatment, or alternatively, for patients in whom conventional treatment has failed.