Intravenous polyvalent human immunoglobulin in a case of life-threatening immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Severe immune thrombocytopenic purpura (platelet count, less than 5 X 10(9)/L) and associated epistaxis, vaginal bleeding and melaena were treated successfully in a 16-year-old girl by means of intravenously-administered polyvalent human immunoglobulin. After she had failed to respond to four days of high-dose therapy with corticosteroid agents, a five-day infusion of polyvalent normal human immunoglobulin at a concentration of 6% immunoglobulin was commenced concurrently in a dose of 0.4 g/kg each day. There was a rapid and sustained rise in the platelet count within 24 h, and this was maintained when corticosteroid therapy was administered by mouth.