The report is available in English with a French summary - KCE
The report is available in English with a French summary - KCE
The report is available in English with a French summary - KCE
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<strong>KCE</strong> Reports 120 Plasma 63<br />
Two small trials compared IG <strong>with</strong> predn<strong>is</strong>olone and plasma exchange respectively, and<br />
showed no difference <strong>in</strong> improvement <strong>in</strong> d<strong>is</strong>ability <strong>in</strong> the IG group compared to the<br />
other therapy. <strong>The</strong>re were no stat<strong>is</strong>tically significant differences <strong>in</strong> frequencies of side<br />
effects between the three types of treatment. Based on th<strong>is</strong> evidence, the authors<br />
concluded that IG improves d<strong>is</strong>ability for at least two to six weeks compared <strong>with</strong><br />
placebo, <strong>with</strong> a number needed to treat of 3. S<strong>in</strong>ce IG, plasma exchange and<br />
predn<strong>is</strong>olone seem to be equally effective, it <strong>is</strong> currently uncerta<strong>in</strong> which of these<br />
treatments should be the first choice.<br />
Cost-effectiveness studies compar<strong>in</strong>g the alternative treatments were also retrieved. A<br />
mult<strong>in</strong>ational study (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Belgium) aimed at analyz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>cremental cost-effectiveness<br />
of IG compared to predn<strong>is</strong>olone to treat CIDP. 78 IG was shown to be substantially<br />
more expensive than predn<strong>is</strong>olone (3754€ over a 6 week period) and did not reduce<br />
d<strong>is</strong>ability substantially compared to predn<strong>is</strong>olone. But IG did result <strong>in</strong> greater<br />
improvement <strong>in</strong> health-related quality of life. <strong>The</strong> probability of IVIG be<strong>in</strong>g cost-effective<br />
<strong>in</strong> compar<strong>is</strong>on <strong>with</strong> predn<strong>is</strong>olone was 50% or above only if one QALY was valued at<br />
over 250,000€. <strong>The</strong> impact of later side-effects of predn<strong>is</strong>olone on long term costs and<br />
quality of life are likely to reduce the cost per QALY of IG treatment.<br />
In patients <strong>with</strong> CIDP, IG improves d<strong>is</strong>ability for at least two to six weeks<br />
compared <strong>with</strong> placebo, but showed no difference <strong>in</strong> effectiveness compared to<br />
plasma exchange and predn<strong>is</strong>olone. Further cost-effectiveness studies are<br />
required.<br />
Multifocal motor neuropathy<br />
Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) <strong>is</strong> a rare d<strong>is</strong>ease marked by a slow progression of<br />
motor weakness, often d<strong>is</strong>tal, asymmetric and <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g the forearms, <strong>with</strong>out sensory<br />
impairment. Consensus statements assert that IG <strong>is</strong> the only safe treatment for MMN<br />
patients. Steroids and plasma exchanges are not effective and may even exacerbate the<br />
d<strong>is</strong>ease.<br />
A Cochrane systematic review publ<strong>is</strong>hed <strong>in</strong> 2005 <strong>in</strong>cluded 4 RCT <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g 34 patients. 79<br />
Strength improved <strong>in</strong> 78% of patients treated <strong>with</strong> IG and only 4% of placebo-treated<br />
patients. D<strong>is</strong>ability improved <strong>in</strong> a higher proportion of patients treated <strong>with</strong> IG (78%)<br />
than <strong>with</strong> placebo (14%) but the difference was stat<strong>is</strong>tically not significant. Authors<br />
concluded that limited evidence from RCT shows that IG has a beneficial effect on<br />
strength. IG has been so far the only therapy show<strong>in</strong>g significant improvement <strong>in</strong> MMN.<br />
In patients <strong>with</strong> multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), IG showed a significant<br />
effect on muscle strength and a non-significant improvement <strong>in</strong> d<strong>is</strong>ability <strong>in</strong><br />
small trials. No other treatment has proven effective for MMN.<br />
Paraprote<strong>in</strong> associated polyneuropathy<br />
<strong>The</strong> paraprote<strong>in</strong> associated polyneuropathy <strong>is</strong> another auto-immune neuropathy <strong>with</strong><br />
demyel<strong>in</strong>ation, characterized by a slow progression and a sensory predom<strong>in</strong>ance.<br />
However, it may produce eventual d<strong>is</strong>abl<strong>in</strong>g motor symptoms. <strong>The</strong> condition <strong>is</strong><br />
associated <strong>with</strong> a monoclonal paraprote<strong>in</strong>, an immunoglobul<strong>in</strong> molecule produced by<br />
bone marrow cells, that <strong>is</strong> present <strong>in</strong> excess and <strong>is</strong> often non-functional. 80 , 81 Th<strong>is</strong><br />
paraprote<strong>in</strong> may belong to one of these three classes: IgG, IgA or IgM.<br />
A Cochrane review on IgG and IgA paraprote<strong>in</strong>emic peripheral neuropathy, publ<strong>is</strong>hed <strong>in</strong><br />
2007, <strong>in</strong>cluded only one RCT on plasma exchange. 80 Th<strong>is</strong> review also identified several<br />
small observational studies show<strong>in</strong>g a beneficial response <strong>in</strong> some of the patients treated<br />
<strong>with</strong> IG. Another 2006 Cochrane review exam<strong>in</strong>ed the efficacy of immunotherapy <strong>in</strong><br />
IgM paraprote<strong>in</strong>-associated demyel<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g neuropathy. 81 It <strong>in</strong>cluded two RCT compar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
IG <strong>with</strong> placebo and concluded that IG may produce some short-term benefit: a trial<br />
<strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g 22 participants showed a significant improvement <strong>in</strong> overall d<strong>is</strong>ability <strong>with</strong> IG<br />
over placebo at four weeks; 82 a small trial of 11 patients showed a modest improvement<br />
<strong>in</strong> strength <strong>in</strong> 18% of patients. 83 As other therapies such as steroids have been shown<br />
beneficial <strong>in</strong> th<strong>is</strong> d<strong>is</strong>ease <strong>in</strong> open trials, some reviews recommend that IG be considered<br />
but not cont<strong>in</strong>ued if acute benefit <strong>is</strong> not observed. 27