Intravenousimmunoglobulin (IVIg) for the Treatment of Inflammatory Myopathies

Summary

Inflammatory myopathies are a group of muscle diseases characterized by muscle weakness, high levels of muscle enzymes in the blood, and inflammation of the tissue surrounding muscle fibers (endomysium). The diseases making up the inflammatory myopathies are grouped into three subsets: I) Polymyositis (PM) II) Dermatomyositis (DM) III) Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) Inflammatory myopathies are thought to be autoimmune processes and are treated with steroids and immunosuppressive drugs. However, many patients who initially respond to these treatments develop resistance to the therapy or experience side effects causing the treatments to be stopped. Researchers believe that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may provide patients with PM, DM, and IBM a safer and more effective alternative to standard therapies for the diseases. IVIg is a drug that has been used successfully to treat other immune-related diseases of the nervous system. The study will take 60 patients and divide them into two groups. Group one will receive 2 injections of IVIg once a month for three months. Group two will receive 2 injections of placebo "inactive injection of sterile water" once a month for three months. Following the three months of treatment, group one will begin taking the placebo and group two will begin taking IVIg for an additional 3 months. The drug will be considered effective if patients receiving it experience a significant improvement (\>15%) in muscle strength.

Timeline

Start

1990-05

Primary completion

—

Completion

2002-07

Publications

• Background Dalakas MC. Polymyositis, dermatomyositis and inclusion-body myositis. N Engl J Med. 1991 Nov 21;325(21):1487-98. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199111213252107. No abstract available.
• Background Dalakas M. Treatment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 1989 Dec;1(4):443-9. doi: 10.1097/00002281-198901040-00005. No abstract available.
• Background Roifman CM, Schaffer FM, Wachsmuth SE, Murphy G, Gelfand EW. Reversal of chronic polymyositis following intravenous immune serum globulin therapy. JAMA. 1987 Jul 24-31;258(4):513-5. doi: 10.1001/jama.1987.03400040111034. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications