| Eur J Dermatol. 2000 Jan-Feb;10(1):29-35. |
|
High dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in dermatomyositis: clinical responses and effect on sIL-2R levels.
Gottfried I, Seeber A, Anegg B, Rieger A, Stingl G, Volc-Platzer B.
Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, University of Vienna, Austria.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
An open study was conducted to identify and investigate dermatomyositis patients who benefit from IVIG treatment, based on dermatological criteria, myositis-related symptoms and immune/inflammatory parameters. 19 patients (16 females and three males, ages 31-84) suffered from dermatomyositis, and 4/19 patients had paraneoplastic dermatomyositis. We monitored the disease activity by documenting the clinical symptoms, recording muscle-related parameters (electromyography, serum creatine kinase, histopathology), and by determining circulating autoantibodies and serum levels of IL-6, sIL-2R, sTNF-a-R, sICAM-1, and sCD8. 7/19 patients responded to IVIG. They had severe skin but only moderate muscle involvement, no autoantibodies, and no malignancy. IVIG-nonresponders had severe skin and muscle disease, concomitant with autoantibodies and/or malignancy. sIL-2R levels were initially elevated in all patients but reverted to normal in IVIG-responders only. Creatine kinase-levels and other parameters did not correlate with disease activity and/or treatment response. IVIG is effective in selected dermatomyositis patients. sIL-2R serum levels appear to be useful predictors of IVIG-induced treatment response and disease activity.
Publication Types:
PMID: 10694294 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
