BACKGROUND Little is known about the platelet dynamics and the effect of antiplatelet therapy in Kawasaki disease (KD). The aim of this study was to clarify platelet activation dynamics in acute-phase KD patients by assaying platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs). METHODS AND RESULTS The PDMP level in 18 patients with acute KD was measured on ELISA. Of the 18 patients, 14 were receiving oral...

Recently, it has been postulated that the beneficial effect of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) in antibody-mediated autoimmune disorders is based on accelerated catabolism of autoantibodies. In the current study, in vivo experiments were performed with mice in which autoantibody production was mimicked by continuous infusion of monoclonal antibodies. In this model, a single dose of IVIG red...

BACKGROUND Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used to treat a variety of autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS); however its mechanism of action remains elusive. Recent work has shown that interleukin-11 (IL-11) mRNAs are upregulated by IVIg in MS patient T cells. Both IVIg and IL-11 have been shown to ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal...

We report a case of successful high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) use in a patient with refractory polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). Treatments with prednisolone (PSL) and various types of immunosuppressants including methotrexate (MTX) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) were unsuccessful, and then, high-dose IVIg therapy was added. High-dose IVIG therapy improved all symptoms including...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We sought to determine parameters to guide the decision of retreatment in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) who remained febrile after initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). SUBJECTS AND METHODS A total of 129 children with KD were studied prospectively. Patients were treated with IVIG 2 to 9 days after the onset of disease. Laboratory measures, such as white b...

Administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a recognized safe and efficient immunomodulation therapy for many autoimmune diseases. Anti-idiotypic antibody binding to pathogenic autoantibodies was proposed as one of the mechanisms attributed to the protective activity of IVIg in autoimmunity. The aim of this study was to fractionate the anti-anti-citrullinated protein anti-idiotypic-a...

Background. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a valuable laboratory tool in evaluation of infectious, inflammatory, and malignant diseases. Red blood cells in outside from the body precipitate due to their higher density than the plasma. In this study we discuss the IVIG effect on ESR in different diseases and different ages. Methods and Materials. Fifty patients under 12 years old who ha...

UNLABELLED Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as an immunomodulatory treatment for several immune-mediated diseases. Early effects of high-dose IVIG treatment on biochemical profiles including lipids and proteins were evaluated in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). Twelve children with KD (9 boys) were treated with IVIG at 2 g/kg over a period of 12 h. Serial sera samples were co...

Intravenous Ig (IVIg) products are used in various medical conditions. Differences in excipients account for most adverse events (AE). Reports of complications including acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute renal failure (ARF) have emerged. Herein is described one institution's experience with IVIg-related complications. This study is a retrospective analysis of infusion-related AE that ...

Appropriate therapy during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease to prevent large coronary artery lesions (CAL) has not been established. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the usefulness of initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy with delayed administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (ADs). A total of 132 pediatric patients who received IVIG therapy with delayed adm...