There are a number of treatment options available for patients diagnosed with Primary Immunodeficiency. Chronic infections can be treated with long-term appropriate antibiotics, preventing hearing loss or permanent breathing problems. One of the most common treatments, antibody replacement therapy, is helpful for a range of Primary Immunodeficiencies. There are also other therapies, such as PEG-ADA and gamma interferon, which may be helpful with certain types of immune diseases. Bone marrow transplants may also be considered for some patients.

Antibody Replacement Therapy

One option for treating primary immunodeficiency is to have patients receive infusions of antibodies in large doses. This is called Antibody Replacement Therapy. The treatment is given either intravenously, which means the medicine is given through a needle directly into a vein, or subcutaneously, where the antibodies are injected through the skin. The antibodies have been collected from the plasma of healthy donors and purified through a special process. This purified plasma treatment contains antibodies that can fight different types of pathogens. Most of the antibodies in this replacement therapy are the IgG class of antibody, and the treatment is usually referred to as immunoglobulin.

Overall, immunoglobulin is an effective therapy for primary immunodeficiency because it reduces the number of sick days and serious infections. Immunoglobulin treatment helps protect patients’ quality of life.

Patients can often be offered the choice of intravenous or subcutaneous therapy. Choosing the appropriate therapy will depend on many factors, and patients may at times switch from one method to the other depending on which is more appropriate or convenient.