Methods: 14 patients with autoimmune urticaria (18-60 y-o., time since disease onset ranging from 6 weeks to 5
years), having positive autoserum test results (7 mm or more in 11 patients, 4.5-6.5 mm in 3 patients)
were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin for four days (50 ml of 5% immunoglobulin solution per
day). Intravenous immunoglobulin of a fourth generation, containing 99.1-99.2% monomeric IgG, was
applied.
Results: The treatment resulted in the rashes regressing in 13 (93%) patients after 3-4 days of treatment. All of
the patients showed reduced autoserum test results (one of them was absolutely negative) 6 months after
the end of treatment. Our investigations have shown a complete absence of clinical manifestations of
urticaria within one year.
Conclusions: Intravenous immunoglobulin, containing only monomeric IgG, has proven highly efficient in treatment
of chronic autoimmune urticaria. The above-mentioned reduced autoserum test results suggest fourth-
generation intravenous immunoglobulin’s contribution to the pathogenesis of the disease.