Objectives: Severe-to-critical COVID-19 has been associated with exaggerated immune responses, and anti-inflammatory agents including corticosteroid and interleukin-6 antagonist have been repurposed as the treatment modality against severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 was controversial.
Methods: This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated the effectiveness of IVIG in patients with COVID-19. Electronic databases were searched for RCTs that compared the clinical efficacy of IVIG with standard of care or placebo in the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were included.
Results: Six RCTs involving 472 patients were included. Patients who received IVIG had a similar mortality rate to the controls (25.3% vs 27.0%, odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-1.31). Compared with the control group, the study group demonstrated a similar incidence of receiving mechanical ventilation (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.45-1.11), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.22-1.53), length of hospital stay (mean difference [MD], -1.81 days; 95% CI, -8.42 to 4.81) and ICU stay (MD, -0.61 days; 95% CI, -2.80 to 1.58).
Conclusions: The administration of IVIG in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 does not improve clinical outcomes.
Keywords: COVID-19; IVIG; SARS-CoV-2; intravenous immunoglobulin; mortality.