Intravenous gammaglobulin therapy for prophylaxis of XXXX in high-risk neonates.

@entity1 @entity295 @entity281 @entity204 @entity526
The safety and effectiveness of intravenously administered gammaglobulin therapy for prophylaxis of @entity281 was evaluated in 133 high-risk neonates. The @entity1 were stratified into two groups: @entity1 with birth weight less than or equal to 1500 g and gestational age less than or equal to 34 weeks, and @entity1 with birth weight greater than 1500 g and receiving intensive care and assisted ventilation. Forty-three @entity1 in group 1 and 25 in group 2 were given gammaglobulin at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/wk, for 1 month in group 1 and during intensive care in group 2. Forty @entity1 in group 1 and 25 in group 2 served as controls. Serum total IgG and group B streptococcus-, @entity526 -, and CMV-specific IgG levels similar to those in adult controls were observed in the treated @entity1 2 hours after gammaglobulin administration. In the treated @entity1 in group 1, the incidence of @entity281 was 51%, and of @entity295 5%; in the controls the incidence of @entity281 was 77% (P less than 0.02), and of @entity295 20% (P less than 0.05). Infection was the main cause of @entity204 in one treated and six control @entity1 in group 1 (P less than 0.04). In the @entity1 with birth weight greater than 1500 g receiving intensive care and assisted ventilation, no significant differences were observed in the incidence of @entity281 or @entity295 in treated and control @entity1 . No side effects were observed after intravenous gammaglobulin administration. These data show that intravenously administered gammaglobulin is both safe and effective for prophylaxis of @entity281 in preterm very low birth weight @entity1 .
