Infusion of High-Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Fails to Lower the Strength of Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibodies in Highly Sensitized Patients

Abstract

This study does not corroborate previous reports of CPRA reduction leading to increased deceased-donor transplantation rates in broadly sensitized patients undergoing desensitization with high-dose IVIg. The increased rate of transplantation relative to historic controls is not related to improved cross-match eligibility and likely resulted from frequent crossmatching using a cytotoxic strength threshold, improved medical readiness for transplantation, and newly recognized options for live-donor transplantation, all of which could have been achieved without IVIg treatment.