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Failure of intravenous immunoglobulin to arrest progression of multiple sclerosis: a clinical and MRI based study

Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4

Mark S Freedman

Ottawa General Hospital, Department of Neurology, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8L6

Jack P Antel

Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4

Due to the modest benefit, inconvenience and high cost of currently available therapies for MS, it is appropriate to seek alternative treatments. Based on anecdotal evidence suggestive of benefit for IVIG in MS, we conducted an open-label, unblinded protocol of IVIG in nine MS patients. The patients were given induction doses of IVIG followed by monthly boosters for I year and had clinical, MRI and CSF analyses performed. Patients included were both progressive and relapsing. There was no clinical benefit nor apparent MRI benefit utilizing this protocol. During treatment, the majority of patients continued to progress or have attacks and MRI demonstrated continued accumulation of T2-weighted lesions. CSF was unaffected by treatment

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • intravenous immunoglobulin • magnetic resonance imaging . '

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 3, No. 6, 370-376 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/135245859700300602


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