intravenous immunoglobulin
noun
variants
or less commonly intravenous immune globulin
: a therapeutic preparation containing antibodies and especially IgG antibodies obtained from the pooled blood plasma of usually thousands of blood donors that is administered via a vein especially to treat immunodeficiency, autoimmune, or inflammatory conditions (such as severe combined immunodeficiency, Guillain-Barré syndrome, posttransfusion purpura, or dermatomyositis)
She was treated with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, used to reduce the severity of infections by giving the body antibodies to protect against bacteria and viruses.
Some worry that supplies of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), which is made of blood plasma from donors, may run short if a clinical trial confirms its effectiveness at slowing the progress of Alzheimer's.—Susannah Cahalan
—abbreviation IVIG
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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