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Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for recurrent spontaneous abortion: a meta-analysis
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Problem:
Published randomized trials of the use of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) as a treatment for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) have produced conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the current evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of IVIG for RSA.
Method Of Study:
After a thorough search of the literature, four randomized, double-blind trials comparing IVIG with placebo for treatment of RSA were included in the meta-analysis. Live birth rates for each treatment group were extracted, and the overall odds ratio (OR) and absolute treatment effect for IVIG were calculated.
Results:
Two of the trials showed an increase in successful pregnancy outcome with IVIG treatment and two did not. The overall OR was 1.48 (95% CI, 0.84-2.60) in favor of IVIG, with an absolute treatment effect of 10.1% (95% CI, -4.8-24.6). Excluding pregnancy failures with an obvious cause produced statistically significant results, but this approach may be subject to bias.
Conclusion:
This meta-analysis suggests that IVIG may have a role in the treatment of recurrent abortion, but as yet no conclusive evidence is available.