Journal Article

IVIG treatment of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: a randomised double-blinded exploratory study of the effect on brain atrophy, cognition and conversion to dementia

Au, William, Chan, Matthew, Donnel, Tammy, Hankins, Andrea, Parise, Carol, Kile, Shawn, Ghassemi, Azad, Rose, Kimberley

2017

Overview

ObjectiveTo determine the effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on brain atrophy and cognitive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods50 participant 50–84 years of age with amnestic MCI were administered 0.4 g/kg 10% IVIG or 0.9% saline every 2 weeks for a total of 5 infusions (2 g/kg total dose) in a randomised double-blinded design. MRI brain was completed at baseline, 12  and 24 months. Cognitive testing was completed at baseline and every 4 months. Participants were stratified into early and late (LMCI) MCI stages. Average annualised per cent change in ventricular volume was computed as a measure of brain atrophy.ResultsThere was significantly less brain atrophy (p=0.037, adjusted for MCI status) in the IVIG group (5.87%) when compared with placebo (8.14%) at 12 months; at 24 months, the reduction in brain atrophy no longer reached statistical significance. The LMCI participants who received IVIG performed better on Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog; p=0.011) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; p=0.004) at 1 year; these differences were not present after 2 years. There was no difference in conversion to AD dementia between the treatment and control groups after 2 years; however, at 1 year, there were fewer conversions from LMCI to AD dementia in the IVIG group (33.3%) when compared with control group (58.3%).ConclusionsThis exploratory study provides limited evidence that a short course of IVIG administered in the MCI stage of AD reduces brain atrophy, prevents cognitive decline in LMCI and delays conversion to AD dementia for at least 1 year; however, this effect of IVIG appears to wane by 2 years.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01300728.

• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subject: Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Alzheimer Disease - complications / Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy / Alzheimer Disease - pathology / Alzheimer Disease - psychology / Alzheimer's disease / Amnesia - drug therapy / Amnesia - etiology / Amnesia - pathology / Amnesia - psychology / Atrophy - drug therapy / Atrophy - etiology / Atrophy - pathology / Atrophy - psychology / Brain - diagnostic imaging / Brain - drug effects / Brain - pathology / Cognition - drug effects / Cognitive ability / Cognitive Dysfunction - drug therapy / Cognitive Dysfunction - etiology / Cognitive Dysfunction - pathology / Cognitive Dysfunction - psychology / Dementia / Disease Progression / Double-Blind Method / Female / Humans / Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - pharmacology / Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - therapeutic use / Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Male / Medical imaging / Middle Aged / Neurodegeneration / Neuropsychological Tests / Studies / Treatment Outcome