Immune Globulins and Autism Ranking:

Audience

According to the Department of Health (2011) immunoglobulin injections or infusions are used to treat patients with a wide range of immune deficiency disorders. These include

• Antibody deficiency states, such as thymoma with immunodeficiency.
• Haematological conditions, such as acquired red cell aplasia.
• Neurological conditions, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• Other conditions, such as Kawasaki disease.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Centre (2017) immunoglobulins can also be used 

• To help prevent infections or make the infection less severe. 
• To treats disorders that involve the muscle and nervous systems. 
• To improve muscle strength and disability in certain patients.

Some people, such as Gupta et al (2010), believe that a subset of autistic individuals may have defective immune systems and that these defective immune systems cause or worsen the symptoms of autism and related conditions. 

Notes

Red cell aplasia (condition characterised by a decrease in the number of red blood cells); Guillain-Barré syndrome (condition in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system); haematological (concerning blood); Kawasaki disease (condition that causes swelling of the blood vessels of the heart); thymoma (tumour that affects the thymus gland).

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

31 May 2018

Next Review

01 Jun 2024