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Background: Although Hizentra is indicated for immunoglobulin replacement therapy in patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, phase III trials have focused on patients with primary immunodeficiencies. In this 9-month, real-life, prospective, non-interventional, longitudinal, multicenter study of patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiencies in France, treatment modalities (primary endpoint), efficacy, safety, tolerability, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction were evaluated using descriptive statistics. Results: Starting in January 2012, 117 patients were enrolled (99 adults, 18 children). Secondary immunodeficiencies were present in 48.7 % of patients. At follow-up, injections were administered every 7 days in 92.2 % of patients. Nine patients (7.8 %) were taking Hizentra every 10-14 days. The median dose of Hizentra administered was 0.1 g/kg/injection. Fifty-six patients were administered doses <0.1 g/kg/injection and 13 patients were administered doses >0.2 g/kg/ injection. Mean trough IgG titers were 9.0 ± 3.3 g/L (median 8.3 g/L). The mean yearly rate of infection was 1.2 ± 1.9. Mean scores on the Short Form-36 physical and mental component summaries were 46.3 ± 10.0 and 46.6 ± 9.3, respectively. Scores on the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication ranged from 69.9 ± 19.9 to 88.3 ± 21.2 depending on the domain. Treatment with Hizentra was well tolerated. No single drug-related systemic reaction occurred in more than one patient and few local reactions were reported (n= 5). Conclusions: Under real-life conditions and in a cohort that included patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, treatment with Hizentra was effective and well tolerated and patients were generally satisfied with the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: IgG replacement therapy (IgRT) in primary immunodeficiencies (PID) is a lifelong treatment which may be administered intravenously (IVIg) or subcutaneously (SCIg), at hospital or at home. The objective of the VISAGE study was to investigate if route and/or place for IgRT impact patients' satisfaction regarding IgRT and quality of life (QoL) in real-life conditions.Methods: The study enrolled PID patients at least 15 years old receiving IgRT for at least 3 months. Satisfaction and QoL were evaluated at enrollment and over a 12-month follow-up period by Life Quality Index (LQI) which measures 3 dimensions of satisfaction: treatment interference, therapy related problems and therapy settings (factors I, II and III) and SF-36 v2 questionnaire.Results: The study included 116 PID patients (mean age 42 ± 18 years, 44 % males, 58 % with scholar or professional occupation) receiving IgRT for a mean of 8.5 ± 8.4 years. At enrollment they were receiving either home-based SCIg (51 %), hospital-based IVIg (40 %) or home-based IVIg (9 %). Patients exhibited a high degree of satisfaction regarding IgRT whatever the route and place for administration. LQI factor I was higher for home-based SCIg (86 ± 2) than for hospital-based IVIg (81 ± 3) and home-based IVIg (73 ± 5; p = 0.02 versus home-based SCIg); no difference was found for LQI factor II; LQI factor III was higher for home-based SCIg (92 ± 2) than for hospital-based IVIg (87 ± 5) and hospital-based IVIg (82 ± 3; p = 0.005 versus home-based SCIg). By contrast, every dimension of QoL was impaired. Over the follow-up period, 10 patients switched from hospital-based IVIg to home-based SCIg and improved LQI factor I (p = 0.004) and factor III (p = 0.02), while no change was noticed in LQI factors II and QoL. Meanwhile, no change in satisfaction or QoL was found in patients with stable route of IgRT. When asked on their preferred place of treatment all but one patient with home-based treatment would choose to be treated at home and 29 % of patients treated at hospital would prefer home-based IgRT.Conclusion: PID patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction regarding IgRT, contrasting with impaired QoL. In real-life conditions awareness of patient's expectations regarding the route or place of IgRT may be associated with further improvement of satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of common variable immunodeficiency disorders ( CVID) is based on replacement therapy using intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) immunoglobulin ( Ig)G. Interindividual variation of IgG dose is common. A total of 380 CVID patients on stable IgG replacement from two prospective cohorts were analysed. An 'efficiency' index was defined as the ratio of serum IgG trough level minus IgG residual to the average weekly dose of IgG infusion. A reduced efficiency of IgG was associated independently with the i.v. route ( P < 0·001) and with the presence of at least one CVID disease-related phenotype (lymphoproliferation, autoimmune cytopenia or enteropathy) ( P < 0·001). High IgG efficiency was noted in patients homozygotes for the variable number tandem repeat ( VNTR) 3/3 polymorphism of the neonatal Fc receptor gene [IgG Fc fragment receptor transporter alpha chain ( FCGRT)] promoter, and this was particularly significant in patients treated with IVIG ( P < 0.01). In a multivariate analysis, FCGRT VNTR 3/3 genotype ( P = 0·008) and high serum albumin ( P < 0·001) were associated independently with increased efficiency of i.v. Ig. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Neurolisteriosis is known to affect vulnerable groups, for example neonates or children with immunodeficiency. This is a key point of the current clinical guidelines regarding pediatric meningitis. We report a rare case of neurolisteriosis in an immunocompetent infant, without the typical signs of listeriosis, which led to a delay in administering the appropriate antibiotherapy. This case illustrates the clinical heterogeneity of neurolisteriosis and the relevance of appropriate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests when the clinical presentation differs from the current guidelines. This case also reminds us that raw or unpasteurized milk-based food products pose a risk even in immunocompetent infants or children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To demonstrate the bioequivalence between 2 intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations, TEGELINE ® and ClairYg ® , a ready-to-use 5% IVIG, in primary immunodeficiency (PID). Secondary objectives were to assess the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of ClairYg ® . Methods Twenty-two adult PID patients receiving stable doses of TEGELINE ® (5% lyophilized IVIG) were switched to ClairYg ® for 6 months. ClairYg ® was administered under the same conditions as TEGELINE ® , either every 3 or 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was mean average total IgG trough level at steady state with ClairYg ® versus TEGELINE ® . Clinical efficacy was also assessed in terms of infections and associated events. Results Bioequivalence was established with a mean average total IgG trough level at steady state being 8.05 g/L with TEGELINE ® and 9.17 g/L with ClairYg ® (i.e. geometric mean for the difference between ClairYg ® and TEGELINE ® was 1.136; [90% CI: 1.092–1.181] P < 0.001), within the pre-specified margin to establish bioequivalence (0.80–1.25). Total IgG trough levels remained clinically adequate (> 4–6 g/L) throughout the study. No patient was hospitalized for infection or had serious bacterial infections while receiving ClairYg ® . The median annualized infections rate per patient was similar for both products: 4.35 [0; 21.8] for TEGELINE ® and 4.30 [0; 15.1] for ClairYg ® . Infections were less common with higher IgG trough levels (> 8.16 g/L). ClairYg ® showed good safety, in particular good hepatic and renal tolerance, and did not induce hemolysis. ClairYg ® pharmacokinetics profile was comparable to that of TEGELINE ® . Conclusion ClairYg ® is safe and effective in the treatment of adult PID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]