IVIG Success Rates: What They Mean and How They Vary

IVIG success rates can range from 60% to 80%, depending on the condition being treated, individual response, and the specific IVIG brand.  

Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) success rates mean the percentage of people who achieve desired clinical outcomes after starting or completing a course of IVIG therapy. Because IVIG is used to treat several autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, the success rates can vary. 

IVIG Success Rates in Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a bleeding disorder that’s caused by your immune system destroying the cells that help form a blood clot — the platelets. As a result, people with ITP have trouble stopping bleeding. 

IVIG is an effective treatment for ITP in both children and adults, especially when a rapid increase in platelet count is crucial, such as before surgery. 

According to a 2021 study in the “British Journal of Haematology,” 80% of users respond to a single 1 g/kg dose [1]. Other recent studies show a success rate of 60% in both children and adults [2,3].

How IVIG works in ITP isn’t fully understood. However, health experts think it may help increase platelet count by blocking proteins (antibodies) that destroy platelets. 

IVIG Success Rates in Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease commonly affects children 5 years or younger. Affected children have inflamed blood vessels, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. 

IVIG reduces inflammation in the blood vessels and can lower the risk of associated heart problems. A single IVIG infusion may improve symptoms in some children. 

Nearly 25% of children who don’t receive treatment develop a bulge in the arteries that supply the heart, which can be fatal in children younger than 12 months. Luckily, timely IVIG therapy can reduce the risk of this complication from 25% to 5% [4].

Resistance rates (the percentage of children who don’t respond to IVIG infusion) can vary among brands [5].

IVIG Success Rates in Recurrent Miscarriage

Recurrent miscarriage is when a woman has three pregnancy losses in a row before 20 weeks from the last menstrual period. It affects nearly 1% to 2% of women [6]. Other names for this condition are:

• Recurrent pregnancy loss 
• Habitual abortion
• Recurrent spontaneous abortion

IVIG is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for recurrent miscarriage. 

Authors of a large 2022 review concluded that IVIG treatment can significantly increase the live birth rate in recurrent miscarriage. However, they stress the need for customizing the doses and timing of IVIG [7].

Earlier in 2017, a trial involving 94 pregnant women with recurrent miscarriage found a success rate of 86% in the IVIG-treated group. On the other hand, among 50 untreated women, the success rate was only 42% [8].

High-dose IVIG therapy during early pregnancy may also help increase the live birth rate in women with four or more recurrent pregnancy losses [9].

Given the lack of effective treatment options, IVIG appears promising because it not only improves pregnancy outcomes but also has an excellent safety profile. 

IVIG Success Rates in Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis is a type of kidney disease in people with lupus. Nearly 50% of people with lupus will get kidney disease. The occurrence is higher in children with lupus, which is about 80% [10].

While appropriate treatment effectively controls lupus nephritis, between 10% to 30% of affected people will develop kidney failure. 

IVIG is a safe and effective alternative treatment for lupus nephritis. According to a 2022 review, IVIG success rates for people with lupus nephritis range from 60% to 70% [11].

IVIG Success Rates in CIDP

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder that causes a progressive loss of muscle strength and senses in the arms and legs. As a result, people with CIDP have problems with balance and gait.

While IVIG is an effective treatment for CIDP, success rates can vary according to the dose. 

For instance, investigators administered different doses of IVIG to three groups of participants. The first group received 0.5 g/kg, the second 1 g/kg, and the third 2.0 g/kg maintenance doses every 3 weeks.

The response rate was [12]:

• 65% in the 0.5 g/kg group
• 80% in the 1.0 g/kg group
• 92% in the 2.0 g/kg group