Additional Information/Points
Risk of Infection Transmission? Yes, IVIG is made from components of human blood. While many tests are done to make sure that the donors are free of known infections, there is a tiny theoretical risk that the blood could contain an infectious agent, like a virus.
My Bottom Line
Given the evidence for IVIG, I really DO wish it had been administered to me right after I gave birth, as it may have prevented a pretty extreme relapse that occurred. However, I don't think I would turn to IVIG unless I exhausted my options with the current disease-modifying therapies. It just doesn't seem convincing enough at this point to justify the expense, in my case.
I would consider IVIG if I couldn't tolerate any of the available drugs or if I had primary progressive MS and my doc thought it was worth a try.
I have heard one person say that they would try IVIG before many other things because it is "natural," as it is derived from human plasma. In my opinion, this is a faulty way of thinking. IVIG is a drug, plain and simple, with potential side effects and massive costs. Most drugs have some sort of "natural" component, such as the velvet from elk antlers (an Alzheimer's syndrome drug), the saliva from Komodo dragons (medication for diabetes) or the urine of pregnant mares (hormone replacement therapy). All drugs are to be respected and carefully considered before starting them, regardless of the origin of their components.
Sources:
Cohen JA. How effective is intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis? Nat Clin Pract Neurol. 2008 Nov;4(11):588-9. Epub 2008 Oct 14.
Dudesek A, Zettl UK. Intravenous immunoglobulins as therapeutic option in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. J Neurol. 2006 Sep;253 Suppl 5:V50-8.
Elovaara I, Apostolski S, van Doorn P, et al. EFNS guidelines for the use of intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of neurological diseases: EFNS task force on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of neurological diseases. Eur J Neurol. 2008 Sep;15(9):893-908.
Elovaara I, Hietaharju A. Can we face the challenge of expanding use of intravenous immunoglobulin in neurology? Acta Neurol Scand. 2010 Jan 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Pöhlau D, Przuntek H, Sailer M, et al. Intravenous immunoglobulin in primary and secondary chronic progressive multiple sclerosis: a randomized placebo controlled multicentre study. Mult Scler. 2007 Nov;13(9):1107-17. Epub 2007 Jul 10.
