Intravenous immunoglobulin as adjuvant therapy for COVID-19: A case report and literature review

Carlos A Flores-Oria; Emilio Saturno; Supriya Ramanathan; Diana J Martinez Castillo; Roshni Kumar; Nelson Ferrer; Afnan Mossaad; Maria E Tellez; Cindy Jon; Sara C Waters; Ricardo A Mosquera

doi:10.1177/2050313X211029699

Intravenous immunoglobulin as adjuvant therapy for COVID-19: A case report and literature review

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2021 Jun 30:9:2050313X211029699. doi: 10.1177/2050313X211029699. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
² West Jefferson Medical Center, Marrero, LA, USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
⁴ Bellaire High School, Bellaire, TX, USA.
⁵ Hospital Pacifica Salud, Panama.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
⁷ School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has infected and caused the death of an alarming number of individuals worldwide. No specific treatment has been internationally standardized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, in some cases, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as adjuvant treatment in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We report a case of a 50-year-old man with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who received 5 days course of IVIG as adjuvant therapy. Invasive respiratory support was avoided. The patient had a successful recovery and was discharged without supplemental oxygen. A high dose of IVIG may improve survival in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. In the current report, we reviewed literature on how IVIG use may improve the early stages of the disease.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; IVIG; hypoxemia; intravenous immunoglobulin; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.