Octagam for IvIg

[landamom]

Wondering if any of you had done IvIg recently with this product. If you have then I think you know which doctor has switched to it. Any pros? Cons? Thanks!

[mdmom]

The following is a link to a comparison chart of Ig products: http://www.bdipharma.com/Comparison%20Chart%202012/IVIG.pdf

 

Octagam is stabilized with sugar (maltose), so it is harder on the kidneys. It also has a higher concentration of IgA, so if your child has low IgA or worse, makes antibodies to IgA, this is not an ideal product.

 

Octagam is less expensive, which is why some docs switch to it.

 

Others may chime in here on this topic, but I believe Gamunex-C (and Gammaked b/c it is identical) is the choice Ig product for neurological autoimmune disorders. Not sure why this is, but I remember being told this or reading it somewhere.

 

From my research (I've done a lot), it is not wise to switch to a different Ig brand if you have been tolerating the same one for awhile. Donor pools are completely different for each Ig manufacturer, so I suppose this could play a role in the differences between products too.

[michelew]

My son just received Octagam last month. I wasn't too thrilled at first, as I had read that it was banned by the FDA for a while, due to more blood clotting issues. However, the company was under close scrutiny and changed some of their techniques and was granted FDA approval again. My son had received Gammunex C previously, so this would have been my preference, but the Octagam is what the hospital had in stock, and is why it was used. We did not have any adverse reaction, and I think we're starting to see some improvements. Fingers crossed. Best of luck!