Health status and infections in patients with symptomatic primary and secondary immunoglobulin G (IgG) deficiencies receiving intravenous IgG replacement

BACKGROUND: The effects of intravenous immunoglobulin G replacement on perceived health and infection susceptibility of patients suffering from immunoglobulin G (IgG) deficiencies should be evaluated in a prospective analysis. METHODS: Patients with symptomatic primary or secondary IgG deficiencies were interviewed prior to the first IgG infusion (t(0)) and over the course of their treatment (t(1) - t(6)). The respondents rated their current health using a 100 point scale (EQ-5D-5L), ranging from 0 (‘worst imaginable health’) to 100 (‘best imaginable health’). The patients also provided information on the frequency of infections and of infections requiring antibiotics in the past 8 weeks. A healthy control group (CG) without oncologic diseases answered the questions once. RESULTS: One hundred six patients with a median age of 65 years (21–85 years) were investigated. The median serum IgG concentration changed from 500 mg/dl (t(0)) to 772 mg/dl (t(6)). The mean number of infections and of infections requiring antibiotics decreased during IgG replacement significantly. Current health according to EQ-5D-5L improved from 57 (t(0)) to 68 (t(6)), compared to 73 in the CG. CONCLUSION: During the course of IgG replacement patients reported fewer and less severe infections. Their health assessment improved but still was inferior to the healthy CG.