A quarterly publication of the Autism Research Institute
Winter, 2018 | Number 1, Volume 32
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion may result in improvements in behavior and reductions in neuroinflammation in a subgroup of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a new study reports.
IVIG infusions, which contain antibodies taken from donor blood plasma, are currently used to treat a number of disorders involving immune system dysfunction. Because many individuals with ASD show signs of immune dysregulation and inflammation, Isaac Melamed and colleagues decided to test the effects of IVIG on this population. The researchers administered high-dose IVIG to 14 individuals diagnosed with ASD and exhibiting evidence of immune dysregulation. Participants underwent IVIG therapy for ten 21-day cycles.
The researchers administered multiple behavioral and cognitive tests before and after the therapy, as well as measuring biomarkers of inflammation. They report, “Overall, in this open-label pilot study, we found significant improvements in clinical measurements of stereotyped behaviors and repetitive interests. Additionally, we observed improvement in primary endpoints of all behavioral/cognitive measures.” Moreover, they say, “significant reductions were seen in the markers of neuroinflammation.”
IVIG was well tolerated, and the researchers say that no participants discontinued their treatment or required reductions in the dosage used or the frequency of administration.
The researchers conclude, “While autoimmune or inflammatory etiologies may not contribute to the majority of cases of autism, they may play a role in select cases of autism. In these select cases, these data suggest that the use of IVIG in some patients with ASD warrants further evaluation in larger clinical trials.”
“A pilot study of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin 5% for autism: Impact on autism spectrum and markers of neuroinflammation,” Isaac R. Melamed, Melinda Heffron, Alessandro Testori, and Kellie Lipe, Autism Research, February 10, 2018 (epub prior to print publication). Address: Isaac R. Melamed, IMMUNOe Research Centers, 6801 South Yosemite Street, Centennial, CO 80112, [email protected].
