Work

Treatment with intravenously administered gamma globulin of chronic relapsing colitis induced by Clostridium difficile toxin

Year: 1991

Type: article

Abstract: We tested the hypothesis that children with chronic relapsing colitis induced by Clostridium difficile toxin have defective antibody responses to C. difficile toxins as a cause of their underlying illness. Six such children were tested for serum IgG and IgA antibody to C. difficile toxin A. These six children had lower IgG anti-toxin A levels than 24 healthy children (p = 0.026) and 18 healthy adults (p = 0.0008). Five patients treated with 400 mg intravenously administered gamma-globulin per kilogram every 3 weeks had significant increases in IgG (p = 0.01) but not IgA anti-toxin A (p = 0.406) levels, and all five had clinical resolution of their gastrointestinal symptoms as well as clearing of C. difficile cytotoxin B from their stools. These observations suggest that a deficiency of IgG anti-toxin A may predispose children to the development of chronic relapsing C. difficile-induced colitis. In such cases, intravenous gamma-globulin therapy may be effective in producing clinical remission.

Source: The Journal of Pediatrics

DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)83393-1

Authors: Donald Y.M. Leung, Ciaran P. Kelly, Mark Boguniewicz, Charalabos Pothoulakis, J. Thomas LaMont, Alejandro Flores

Institutions: Boston University, Harvard University, National Jewish Health

Language: English

Topic: Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,570