Intravenous treatment with immunoglobulins may improve chronic undifferentiated mono- and oligoarthritis

H.-D. Stahl, R. Pfeiffer, F. Emmrich

Institute of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

ABSTRACT
We previously reported on 8 young patients with undifferentiated mono- and oligoarthritis whose synovial tissue tested positive for Parvovirus B19 DNA by PCR.
Three of these patients remained clinically undifferentiated and suffered from progressive inflammatory disease despite conventional therapy and repeated synovectomy. Intravenous treatment with immunoglobulin (0.4 g/kg body weight over 5 days) resulted in marked improvement in 2 of the 3 patients, allowing them to avoid repeated synovectomy during follow-up periods of  7 and 10 months, respectively.

Key words
Undifferentiated arthritis, monoarthritis, oligoarthritis, treatment, immunoglobulins, synovial tissue, Parvovirus B 19.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: H. D. Stahl, Institute of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrassee 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
E-mail: stah@medizin.uni-leipzig.de

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2000; 18: 515-517.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2000.