Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for ocular cicatricial pemphigoid: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To report the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of ten patients with progressive ocular cicatricial pemphigoid who did not respond to conventional immunomodulatory regimens.

DESIGN: Noncomparative, interventional case series.

PARTICIPANTS: Ten patients with biopsy-proven progressive cicatricial pemphigoid affecting the eyes who did not respond adequately to other local and systemic immunosuppressive treatment regimens.

INTERVENTION: Intravenous infusions of pooled human immunoglobulin, 2 to 3 g/kg body weight/cycle, divided over 3 days, and repeated every 2 to 6 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reduction in conjunctival inflammation, prevention of progression of subepithelial conjunctival fibrosis, improvement in ocular symptoms (discomfort, photophobia), improved visual acuity, reduction in extraocular mucosal lesions.

RESULTS: Clinical deterioration was arrested and resolution of chronic conjunctivitis was documented in all ten patients. Maximum therapeutic effect was observed and maintained after a minimum of 4 cycles of therapy; three patients required 12 cycles before disease control. The duration of therapy in these ten patients has been 16 to 23 months (mean, 19.3 months) with no treatment-induced side effects. Extraocular mucosal lesion resolution has occurred in all but one patient, Visual acuity has stabilized or improved in all ten patients, and subjective complaints of discomfort and photophobia have decreased in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous immunoglobulin immunomodulatory therapy can be a safe and effective therapy for otherwise treatment-resistant ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.