THE EFFICIENCY OF INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN BY DEMENTIA ALZHEIMER TYPE PATIENTS.

Kountouris Dimitrios M.D. Center for Neurological Diagnosis, Michalakopoulou 45, 11528, Athens, Greece

Background: To evaluate the efficiency of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) by patients of Dementia Alzheimer Type (DAT) at the initial phase of the disease we examined 16 patients with the symptoms of the disease.

Methods and Material: The patients were divided in two groups of the 8, of the same age and sex. Both groups received 140 gr of peracetam for the one year. One group was administered additionally a complementary monthly dose of IVIG 0,2 g/Kg* body weight if IVIG for the duration of the study. All patients underwent a clinical and Neurophysiological (EEG, visual evoked response and cognitive-function by mini-mental state examination-MMSE) at the beginning and at the end at the treatment.

Results and Conclusion: The comparison of the results of all tests before and after the treatment has shown a significant improvement in the group of patients with the additional treatment with the IVIG. This lead us to believe that the immunomodulate function of IVIG is particularly beneficial in DAT patients and allows for the hypothesis that there may be a disturbance in the immune system of Alzheimer patients.

*Octagam von OCTA farma A.G.

Abstract published in the abstract book of the 9th Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association " Paper presented at the 9th Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association " Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 15-20, 1999 Keywords: Alzheimer, IVIG