Intravenous immunoglobulin immune globulin
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a blood product that contains the pooled immunoglobulin G (IgG) prepared from the serum of at least a thousand blood donors. An immunoglobulin (Ig) is an antibody or a protein that has a large, Y-shaped molecule, mainly produced by plasma cells. It is used by the body’s immune system to identify and counteract foreign elements such as viruses and bacteria.
IVIG may be used as treatment for patients with antibody deficiencies. It is used as a ‘replacement’ at a dose of 200–۴۰۰ mg/kg body weight, and is given approximately every 3 weeks. In some patients, ‘high dose’ IVIG (around 2 g/kg/month) is used as an ‘immunomodulatory’ agent to treat inflammatory and immune disorders.