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The role of IVIg treatment in severe pemphigus vulgaris.
The role of IVIg treatment in severe pemphigus vulgaris.

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2006 May;20(5):548-52.

Baum S, Scope A, Barzilai A, Azizi E, Trau H.

Department of Dermatology, Sheba Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

Background High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has become a part of the treatment armentarium in pemphigus vulgaris (PV). Some consider IVIg as an adjuvant steroid sparing agent in PV, while others as disease modifying that can be used as monotherapy. Methods We report our experience with a series of 12 PV patients with severe disease treated with IVIg as an adjuvant therapy. Results Ten of 12 patients (83%) showed response to six cycles of IVIg, six (50%) having complete remission and four (33%) having a partial response. This response rate is concordant with previous reports. The therapy was well tolerated. In all 12 patients, treatment with IVIg allowed a gradual reduction of prednisone dose compared with baseline levels. Conclusion IVIg treatment was beneficial as a steroid sparing agent in our series of patients with severe PV.