Intravenous immunoglobulins in peripheral neuropathy associated with vasculitis

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2003 Dec;62(12):1221-3.

Intravenous immunoglobulins in peripheral neuropathy associated with

vasculitis.

Levy Y, Uziel Y, Zandman GG, Amital H, Sherer Y, Langevitz P, Goldman B,

Shoenfeld Y.

Department of Medicine B and the Centre for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba

Medical Centre Tel-Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv

University, Israel.

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

Sjogren'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 (Sjogren'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.

Publication Types:

a.. Case Reports

PMID: 14644864

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