• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2006

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been administered for various immune-mediated neurological diseases such as autoimmune neuropathy, inflammatory myopathies, and other autoimmune neuromuscular disorders. The purpose of this study is to investigate side effects and complications of IVIg therapy in neuromuscular disorders. Methods: We enrolled 29 patients (age 8~63 years) with IVIg therapy for various neurological diseases including Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and multifocal motor neuropathy. IVIg therapy was used at a dose of 0.4 g/kg body weight/day for 5 consecutive days. Results: 10 patients (34%) had adverse events. There are adverse events in 16 courses (11%) among total 145 courses. The majority of patients presented with mild side effects, mostly asymptomatic laboratory changes. Rash or mild headache occurred in 3 patients. One patient showed a serious side effect of deep vein thrombosis. Conclusions: IVIg therapy is safe for a variety of immune-mediated neurological diseases in our study.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.246-252
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• 2001

We report the result of a high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in a Henoch-Schnlein purpura patient with severe abdominal pain and nephrotic syndrome who did not respond to methylprednisolone pulse therapy. Kidney biopsy showed diffuse mesangial cell proliferative glomerulonephritis with fibrocellular crescent formation in approximately 50% of glomeruli. Mesangium of all glomeruli were strong positive for IgA and C3 antibodies. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment was introduced and dramatic improvement of gastrointestinal symptom and proteinuria as well as hematuria was noted. Immunoglobulin administration should be considered in Henoch-Schnlein purpura patients with steroid-resistant intractable gastrointestinal manifestation and renal involvement.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2008

It has been suspected that various infections, including cytomegalovirus(CMV) infection, are associated with IgA nephropathy. In case of CMV infection, ganciclovir is known to be a treatment of choice for severe CMV infection in general. But ganciclovir has a lot of severe toxicity, so children with normal immunity are seldom treated by ganciclovir when CMV infection is suspected. On the other hand, intravenous immunoglobulin can also be used to treat CMV infection. We report a case of CMV-associated IgA nephrophaty, who was treated with deflazacort and Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. An 11 years old boy suffered from gross hematuria for 3 days. He had proteinuria, thrombocytopenia(104,000/$mm^3$), antiplatelet antibody(＋), impaired renal function and low serum albumin. His CMV serology was CMV-IgM/IgG(＋/-) and urine CMV-PCR was positive. The renal histological findings revealed IgA nephropathy, WHO class II. His proteinuria persisted despite of deflazacort therapy(2.5 mg/kg/day). Later, intravenous immunoglobulin(1 g/kg) was administered twice. In two years, he showed no gross and microscopic hematuria, and his laboratory findings were also normalized.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2006

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is the treatment of choice for many autoimmune neuropathic disorders such as Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory Demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP), and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). IVIg is preferred because the adverse reactions are milder and fewer than the other immune-modulating methods such as steroid, other immunosuppressant such as azathioprine, and plasmapheresis. IVIg also has been used in other autoimmune neuromuscular disorders (inflammatory myopathy, myasthenia gravis, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome) and has been known as safe and efficient agent in these disorders. Since IVIg would get more indications and be used more commonly, clinicians need to know the detailed mechanism of action, side effects, and practical points of IVIg.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2016

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a safe treatment to treat various neurological disorders, but fatal thrombotic events as rare complications have been reported. A 54-year-old woman with Guillain-Barre syndrome complained of dyspnea during IVIG treatment. She was finally diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of pulmonary thromboembolism associated with IVIG treatment in a Korean patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2013

Purpose: It has been reported that 10% to 20% of children with Kawasaki disease (KD) will not respond to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment. In this study, we aimed to identify useful predictors of therapeutic failure in children with KD. Methods: We examined 309 children diagnosed with KD at the Kyungpook National University Hospital and the Inje University Busan Paik Hospital between January 2005 and June 2011. We retrospectively reviewed their medical records and analyzed multiple parameters in responders and nonresponders to IVIG. Results: Among the 309 children, 30 (9.7%) did not respond to IVIG. They had significantly higher proportion of neutrophils, and higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, and N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide than did responders. IVIG-nonresponders had a significantly longer duration of hospitalization, and more frequently experienced coronary artery lesion, and sterile pyuria. No differences in the duration of fever at initial treatment or, clinical features were noted. Conclusion: Two independent predictors (ALT${\geq}$84 IU/L, total bilirubin${\geq}$0.9 mg/dL) for nonresponse were confirmed through multivariate logistic regression analysis. Thus elevated ALT and total bilirubin levels might be useful in predicting nonresponse to IVIG therapy in children with KD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.7
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• pp.216-220
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• 2017

Purpose: Vitamin D is associated with various pathological conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. We investigated the relationship between vitamin D and Kawasaki disease (KD). Methods: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of patients with KD between February 2013 and March 2016 in Daegu Fatima Hospital. Study participants were grouped according to vitamin D serum concentration. Group 1 included patients with 25(OH)-vitamin D ${\geq}20ng/mL$. Group 2 included patients with 25(OH)-vitamin D <20 ng/mL. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and laboratory data of the 2 groups. Results: Of the 91 patients, 52 were included in group 1, and 39 in group 2. Group 1 patients had significantly higher levels of calcium, phosphate, albumin and sodium than group 2 patients did. There were no differences in clinical characteristics, but the proportion of patients with polymorphic rash was significantly higher in group 2. Resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin was more frequent in group 2 (P=0.023). No significant difference in the incidence of coronary artery complications was observed. Conclusion: Low vitamin D levels are associated with resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in KD. Vitamin D deficiency might be a risk factor for immunoglobulin resistance in KD.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 2014

Japanese-B viral encephalitis (JE) usually has a monophasic illness pattern. A 45-year-old woman in an altered mentality had improved over 1 month. About 1 week after the initial improvement, the patient became comatose with aggravated EEG and MRI findings. Assays of cerebrospinal fluid and serum were positive for the IgM antibody to Japanese-B virus. After intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion, the patient recovered. We report a patient with JE who showed a biphasic illness pattern and recovered after IVIG therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Oriental Chronic Disease
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2005

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a group of autoimmune syndromes consisting of demyelinating and acute axonal degenerating forms of the disease. Typically, Gullain-Barre syndrome can be diagnosed from the patient's symptoms and physical examination such as the rapid onset of weakness, paralysis and loss of reflexes. In most patients, resolution is complete or near complete. Treatment consists of supportive care, ventilatory management (in about one third of patients), and specific therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis. This clinical report is about suspected acute severe Guillain-Barre syndrome patient, 61-year-old man had quadriplegia, facial palsy, dysphasia, respiratory failure. After 5 weeks of East-West integrative medicine therapy - Conventional Conservative therapy(plasmaphresis and intravenous immunoglobulin) and Korean traditional medicine(Sasang medicine and acupuncture treatment) - most symptoms improved.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1124-1127
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• 2003

We evaluated the clinical and laboratory characteristics of five children with Kawasaki disease who had showed arthritis after responding to intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) treatment. Age distribution was between 13 months and six years of age(mean $3.2{\pm}1.6$ years). There were two males and three females. Arthritis occurred when acute symptoms were subsiding, with the average onset on day $5.8{\pm}1.8$ after final IVIG treatment. Arthritis was pauciarticular in three, and polyarticular in two. Regarding laboratory findings, one child was positive in rhematoid factor and changed to negative after two months. Three patients were examined for HLA B27 and all showed negative results. High dose aspirin(two cases), anti-inflammatory drug(ibprofen, three cases), and corticosteroids(methyprednisolon pulse therapy, one case) were used for this type of arthritis. Symptoms and signs of arthritis in all patients were improved by these therapies. There was no relapse or complications within six months. Arthritis after responding to IVIG therapy was rarely observed in children with Kawasaki disease. This type of arthritis responded well to anti-inflammatory drugs including corticosteroids, and showed no relapses.