Abstract
Two children, 21 months and 11 years, with extensive intractable atopic dermatitis for life, recurrent pyogenic skin infections, hyperimmunoglobulinemia E, defective neutrophil chemotaxis and depressed cell-mediated immunity in vivo and in vitro were treated with transfer factor. Transfer Factor was prepared by the method of Lawrence from healthy donors with strong delayed type hypersensitivity to a battery of skin test antigens. Each patient received two courses of TF. A course was defined as 1x109 cells per week for 4 consecutive weeks. No clinical side-effects were noted. Following the first course of TF, significant clinical improvement was noted in both patients with disappearance of skin infections and pruritus. No new lesions have occurred 7 months after the completion of therapy in the first patient and 2 months after the completion of therapy in the second patient despite the discontinuation of steroids and antibiotics. Immunologic evaluation showed no consistent improvement in vitro. However, post TF in both patients delayed type cutaneous reactivity converted to positive and serum IgE levels increased significantly. These findings suggest that TF may be beneficial in hyper-IgE syndrome although the significance of rising IgE remains to be determined.
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hemant, E., Kesarwala, H., Alqusus, Z. et al. 706 TRANSFER FACTOR THERAPY IN HYPERIMMUNOGLOBULINEMIA. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 481 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00711
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00711
