Paeds Vivas · allergy-and-immunology
Immunoglobulin replacement and antimicrobial prophylaxis — branching viva
Branching viva on confirming the indication for immunoglobulin replacement, choosing the route, dosing to outcome, and layering antimicrobial prophylaxis in a child with antibody deficiency.
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RACP DCEMRCPCH ClinicalRCPSC Pediatrics
Prompt
Outpatient clinic: a six-year-old boy with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia is established on intravenous immunoglobulin every four weeks. He has had three breakthrough pneumonias this year despite a trough IgG in the lower half of the normal range, and his family lives two hours from the hospital. The examiner asks: what is your framework, what are the reassessment questions before changing the dose, what are the advantages of switching to subcutaneous immunoglobulin, and what role does antimicrobial prophylaxis play — then branches to a child with specific antibody deficiency and asks you to justify why you would NOT start immunoglobulin first.
Opening question
Take me through your framework when a child established on immunoglobulin replacement presents with breakthrough infection despite an apparently adequate trough. [2] [3]
References6ShowHide
- [1]Bonilla FA, Khan DA, Ballas ZK, et al. Practice parameter for the diagnosis and management of primary immunodeficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2015.PMID 26371839
- [2]Perez EE, Orange JS, Bonilla F, et al. Update on the use of immunoglobulin in human disease: A review of evidence. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2017.PMID 28041678
- [3]Orange JS, Hossny EM, Weiler CR, et al. Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in human disease: a review of evidence by members of the Primary Immunodeficiency Committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2006.PMID 16580469
- [5]Suez D, Stein M, Gupta S, et al. Efficacy, Safety, and Pharmacokinetics of a Novel Human Immune Globulin Subcutaneous, 20% in Patients with Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases in North America. J Clin Immunol, 2016.PMID 27582171
- [6]Joud Hajjar, Nguyen AL, Constantine G, et al. Prophylactic Antibiotics Versus Immunoglobulin Replacement in Specific Antibody Deficiency. J Clin Immunol, 2020.PMID 31758281
- [8]Abolhassani H, Sadaghiani MS, Aghamohammadi A, et al. Home-based subcutaneous immunoglobulin versus hospital-based intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of primary antibody deficiencies: systematic review and meta analysis. J Clin Immunol, 2012.PMID 22730009