[Passive prophylactic immunisation against post-transfusion hepatitis by immunoglobulin preparations: a prospective...

In the course of a randomised prospective study involving 98 patients who had undergone cardiac surgery, 51 patients were given 20 g human immunoglobulin i.v. over four months, 47 received merely blood transfusions, like all other patients, averaging 4.4 units per patient. Antibodies against HBs antigen or Hbc antigen were present in 20% of patients before operation. After operation (plus blood transfusions) antibodies against hepatitis-B virus were demonstrated in 43% of the control group but 94% of those treated with immunoglobulins. These antibodies persisted in the course of further immunoglobulin administrations, while they fell in the control group. Hepatitis-B infections occurred in ten patients of the control group, after 30-90 days; three of them developed acute hepatitis. In the group treated with immunoglobulins there were only two patients with an infection, one of whom developed hepatitis. Antibodies against cytomegalic virus increased in the control group but not in the treatment group. In both groups there was the same incidence of non-A-non-B hepatitis.