Cerebral Infarctions After Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy for ITP in a Child

BackgroundIntravenous immunoglobulin is the favored therapy in childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura. It is usually well tolerated with manageable side effects, but venous and arterial thrombosis following its administration have been described, mostly in adults.MethodsWe describe a 3-year-old girl with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and intracranial hemorrhage who received intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and subsequently developed multifocal cerebral infarctions.ResultsProduct specific as well as other factors may play a role in the development of this complication of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. This is the only reported case of intravenous immunoglobulin–related thrombosis in a child with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and intracranial hemorrhage.ConclusionsThrombotic complications are associated with intravenous immunoglobulin administration and this includes cerebral infarcts.