ABSTRACT
The first published report of the use of IVIG in the treatment of JRA was by Groothoff and Van Leeuwen in 1988 (8). They described a patient with systemic JRA who for 3 years had responded only to corticosteroids. Many standard therapies, including cytotoxic drugs, were of no benefit. Unfortunately, corticosteroids caused severe osteoporosis with vertebral fractures and had to be withdrawn. IVIG in high doses was tried as an alternative, and this produced dramatic results (Fig. 1). Fever, rash, and arthritis responded rapidly. Unfortunately, control of disease required repeated infusions, and long-term remission without IVIG was not achieved.
