All issues > Volume 48(11); 2005

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2005;48(11):1187-1192. Published online November 15, 2005.

The Effectiveness of Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Clinically Suspected Neonatal Sepsis

Hyun Jung HJ Na¹, Ji Young JY Kim¹, Gyeong Hoon GH Lee¹, Jun Hwa JH Lee¹, Eun Jin EJ Choi¹, Jin Kyung JK Kim¹, Hai Lee HL Chung¹, Woo Taek WT Kim¹

¹Department of pediatrics, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Korea

Correspondence Woo Taek WT Kim ,Email: wootykim@cu.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobuin (IVIG) administration in fullterm neonates having clinically suspected neonatal sepsis.
Methods
: Forty full-term neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with clinically suspected neonatal sepsis, who had at least two positive diagnostic criteria were enrolled. Twenty neonates were enrolled into the IVIG arm and 20 in the placebo arm. Neonates with a gestational age of less than 36 weeks and those with any major congenital malformation were excluded. The neonates were randomized to receive 1 g/kg of IVIG or equivalent amount of normal saline. The treatments including antibiotics and supportive care were administered.
Results
: The neonates in the therapy and placebo groups were comparable in terms of birth weight, gestational age, sex distribution, duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, elevation of serum IgG level, mortality rate, change of CBC, and serum level of acute phase reactants etc.
Conclusion
: Serum IgG values increased significantly 5 days after administration of IVIG in the IVIG-treated group and decreased significantly 5 days after administration of normal saline in the placebo group. However, there was no significant difference in the duration of antibiotics therapy and admission, or of mortality between the IVIG-treated and placebo groups. No adverse reactions to the IVIG infusions were noted during the study. Our preliminary observations suggest that the administration of 1 g/kg IVIG to neonates had some effect on augmentation of humural immune status in neonates with clinically suspected sepsis. But further study is needed to verify the benefit of IVIG infusion to neonatal sepsis.

Keywords :Neonatal sepsis , Intravenous immunoglobulin