@article {Tsurikisawajrheum.110981, author = {Naomi Tsurikisawa and Hiroshi Saito and Chiyako Oshikata and Takahiro Tsuburai and Kazuo Akiyama}, title = {High-dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment Increases Regulatory T Cells in Patients with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis}, elocation-id = {jrheum.110981}, year = {2012}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.110981}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective We studied the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment on clinical symptoms and regulatory T (Treg) cell frequency in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Methods Twenty-two EGPA patients with severe mononeuritis multiplex or cardiac dysfunction received IVIG therapy combined with conventional therapy (corticosteroid, immunosuppressants, or both). As a control, 24 EGPA patients without severe vasculitic symptoms were treated with conventional therapy. Before, during, and after treatment, we determined percentages of Treg cells and other relevant cells in patients{\textquoteright} peripheral blood. Results The frequency of CD25+ among CD4+ T cells was lower at onset in the study group than in controls but increased significantly after IVIG treatment, relative to controls. The frequency of CD25+ among CD4+ T cells correlated with the frequency of FOXP3+ among CD4+ T cells and interleukin 10 produced by CD25+CD4+ T cells. Conclusion The increase in Treg cells seen with the combination of IVIG and conventional therapy may promote remission in EGPA.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2012/03/25/jrheum.110981}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2012/03/25/jrheum.110981.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }