Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of rheumatoid arthritis-associated immunodeficiency.

Three patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with weekly intravenous injections of immunoglobulin. All three reported definite improvement with treatment. One subsequently dropped out of therapy and experienced recurrence of symptoms. It is concluded that intravenous immunoglobulin is a potentially effective agent in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and possibly other autoimmune diseases. Further investigation of its mechanism of action as well as its clinical effectiveness is indicated.