Prophylactic intravenous administration of standard immune globulin as compared with core-lipopolysaccharide immune globulin in patients at high risk of postsurgical infection.

BACKGROUND

Infections and their sequelae are a major cause of death among patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Studies of passive immunotherapy with standard intravenous immune globulin and hyperimmune globulin directed against gram-negative core lipopolysaccharide to prevent gram-negative infections and their serious systemic complications have had equivocal results in such patients.

METHODS

We performed a double-blind study to assess the efficacy of standard immune globulin and core-lipopolysaccharide hyperimmune globulin in preventing infections in surgical patients at high risk. The patients received standard immune globulin (400 mg per kilogram of body weight), hyperimmune globulin (400 mg per kilogram), or placebo (25 percent albumin, 8 ml per kilogram) weekly, for a maximum of four doses while in the ICU.

RESULTS

A total of 352 patients were enrolled, and 329 could be evaluated. The number of patients in whom infections developed was significantly lower in the group receiving standard immune globulin than in the placebo group (36 of 109 vs. 53 of 112 patients, P = 0.03), as was the incidence of pneumonia (15 vs. 30 cases, P = 0.04), especially pneumonia due to gram-negative bacteria (5 vs. 16 cases, P = 0.02). The number of days spent in the ICU and the total days spent in the hospital were lower in the standard immune globulin group (medians of 2 and 7.5 days fewer; P = 0.02 and 0.06, respectively). In contrast, the hyperimmune globulin had no detectable prophylactic effect on infections (50 of 108 patients, with 25 cases of pneumonia). The rate of systemic infections and shock was similar in the three study groups, and hospital mortality did not differ significantly among them.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous immune globulin given prophylactically to selected high-risk patients in the surgical ICU can reduce the incidence of infection. Core-lipopolysaccharide hyperimmune globulin is not effective in preventing gram-negative infections and their systemic complications.