Immunoglobulins, normal human, IV

Interactions

Immunoglobulins, normal human, IV interacts in the following cases:

Live attenuated virus vaccines

Immunoglobulin administration may impair for a period of at least 6 weeks and up to 3 months the efficacy of live attenuated virus vaccines such as measles, rubella, mumps and varicella. After administration of this product, an interval of 3 months should elapse before vaccination with live attenuated virus vaccines. In the case of measles, this impairment may persist for up to 1 year. Therefore patients receiving measles vaccine should have their antibody status checked.

Loop diuretics

Avoidance of concomitant use of loop diuretics.

Pregnancy

The safety of this medicinal product for use in human pregnancy has not been established in controlled clinical trials and therefore it should only be given with caution to pregnant women. IVIg products have been shown to cross the placenta, increasingly during the third trimester. Clinical experience with immunoglobulins suggests that no harmful effects on the course of pregnancy, or on the foetus and the neonate are to be expected.

Nursing mothers

Immunoglobulins are excreted into the milk and may contribute to protecting the neonate from pathogens which have a mucosal portal of entry. No negative effects on the breastfed newborn/infants are anticipated.

Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis and fertility

Fertility

Clinical experience with immunoglobulins suggests that no harmful effects on fertility are to be expected.

Effects on ability to drive and use machines

The ability to drive and operate machines may be impaired by some adverse reactions associated with human normal immunoglobulin. Patients who experience adverse reactions during treatment should wait for these to resolve before driving or operating machines.

Adverse reactions


Summary of the safety profile

Adverse reactions such as chills, headache, dizziness, fever, vomiting, allergic reactions, nausea, arthralgia, low blood pressure and moderate low back pain may occur occasionally.

Rarely human normal immunoglobulins may cause a sudden fall in blood pressure and, in isolated cases, anaphylactic shock, even when the patient has shown no hypersensitivity to previous administration.

Cases of reversible aseptic meningitis and rare cases of transient cutaneous reactions (including cutaneous lupus erythematosus - frequency unknown) have been observed with human normal immunoglobulin. Reversible haemolytic reactions have been observed in patients, especially those with blood groups A, B, and AB. Rarely, haemolytic anaemia requiring transfusion may develop after high dose IVIg treatment).

Increase in serum creatinine level and/or acute renal failure have been observed.

Very rarely: Thromboembolic reactions such as myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thromboses.

Cases of Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI).

Tabulated list of adverse reactions

The tables presented below are according to the MedDRA system organ classification (SOC and Preferred Term Level). Table 1 shows the adverse reactions from clinical trials and Table 2 shows the post-marketing ARs.

Frequencies have been evaluated according to the following convention: very common (≥1/10); common (≥1/100 to <1/10); uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100); rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000); very rare (<1/10,000); not known (cannot be estimated from available data).

Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.

Table 1. Frequency of Adverse Reactions (ADRs) in clinical studies with human normal immunoglobulin (IVIg):

MedDRA
System Organ Class
(SOC)
Adverse reactionFrequency
Infections and infestationsBronchitis, nasopharyngitisCommon
Chronic sinusitis, fungal infection, infection, kidney
infection, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infection,
urinary tract infection, bacterial urinary tract infection,
meningitis aseptic
Uncommon
Blood and lymphatic
system disorders
Anaemia, lymphadenopathyCommon
Immune system disordersHypersensitivity, anaphylactic reactionUncommon
Endocrine disordersThyroid disorderUncommon
Metabolism and nutrition
disorders
Decreased appetiteCommon
Psychiatric disordersInsomnia, anxietyCommon
IrritabilityUncommon
Nervous system disordersHeadacheVery common
Dizziness, migraine, paresthesia, hypoesthesiaCommon
Amnesia, dysarthria, dysgeusia, balance disorder,
tremor
Uncommon
Eye disordersConjunctivitisCommon
Eye pain, eye swellingUncommon
Ear and labyrinth
disorders
Vertigo, fluid in middle earUncommon
Cardiac disordersTachycardiaCommon
Vascular disordersHypertensionVery common
FlushingCommon
Peripheral coldness, phlebitisUncommon
Respiratory, thoracic and
mediastinal disorders
Cough, rhinorrhoea, asthma, nasal congestion,
oropharyngeal pain, dyspnea
Common
Oropharyngeal swellingUncommon
Gastrointestinal disordersNauseaVery common
Diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspepsiaCommon
Abdominal distensionUncommon
Skin and subcutaneous
tissue disorders
RashVery common
Contusion, pruritus, urticaria, dermatitis, erythemaCommon
Angioedema, acute urticaria, cold sweat,
photosensitivity reaction, night sweats, hyperhidrosis
Uncommon
Musculoskeletal and
connective tissue
disorders
Back pain, arthralgia, pain in extremity, myalgia,
muscle spasms, muscular weakness
Common
Muscle twitchingUncommon
Renal and urinary
disorders
ProteinuriaUncommon
General disorders and
administration site
conditions
Local reactions (e.g. infusion site
pain/swelling/reaction/pruritus), pyrexia, fatigue
Very common
Chills, edema, influenza-like illness, chest discomfort,
chest pain, asthenia, malaise, rigors
Common
Chest tightness, feeling hot, burning sensation,
swelling
Uncommon
InvestigationsBlood cholesterol increased, blood creatinine
increased, blood urea increased, white blood cell
count decreased, alanine aminotransferase increased,
haematocrit decreased, red blood cell count decreased,
respiratory rate increased
Uncommon

Table 2. Post-Marketing Adverse Reactions (ARs):

MedDRA
System Organ Class
(SOC)
Adverse reactionFrequency
Blood and lymphatic
system disorders
HaemolysisNot known
Immune system disordersAnaphylactic shockNot known
Nervous system disordersTransient ischemic attack, cerebral vascular accidentNot known
Cardiac disordersMyocardial infarctionNot known
Vascular disordersHypotension, deep vein thrombosisNot known
Respiratory, thoracic and
mediastinal disorders
Pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edemaNot known
InvestigationsCoombs direct test positive, oxygen saturation
decreased
Not known
Injury, poisoning and
procedural complications
Transfusion-related acute lung injuryNot known

Description of selected adverse reactions

Muscle twitching and weakness were reported only in patients with MMN.

Paediatric population

Frequency, type and severity of adverse reactions in children are the same as in adults.

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