Application of intravenous gamma globulin in neonatal diseases

Compared with foetus, newborns have undergoing tremendous physiological changes. However, their immune system is weak and insufficient. Thus, newborns are susceptible to infectious diseases, such as neonatal infectious pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, neonatal purulent meningitis, neonatal viral encephalitis and neonatal enteroviral myocarditis. The occurrence and development of these diseases affect the quality of life and the prognosis of newborns, which increase the burden on the family. At the same time, the autoimmune antibodies, obtained from the mother's blood but have not been metabolised, can cause immune damage to the newborn, such as neonatal haemolytic disease, neonatal lupus erythematosus, neonatal hemochromatosis, neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopaenia, neonatal alloimmune neutropaenia and temporary neonatal myasthenia gravis. Some of these diseases are relieved following the metabolism of antibodies but still increase neonatal mortality. In addition, some diseases are related to immune dysfunction, such as Kawasaki disease, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, neonatal autoimmune blistering disease, macrophage activation syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome and stiff-person syndrome. Although they are not common in the newborn population, one or more of these diseases will occasionally occur. Adjuvant therapy using intravenous gamma globulin can effectively treat these diseases. In addition, gamma globulins have similar ability to antibodies against certain antigens, so they have a certain impact on vaccination. This article reviews the potential mechanism of gamma globulins in neonatal diseases.