Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Autoimmune Encephalitis in Adults – A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

Research summary

Some doctors think that if IVIG is used from the start of treatment, patients may recover more quickly and have less side effects from the illness. While IVIG may help patients it can have side effects, including blood clots or allergic reactions, is expensive and may not help recovery. Currently it is used in about 50% of patients with autoimmune encephalitis. The ENCEPH-IG trial (Intravenous immunoglobulin in autoimmune encephalitis in adults) is a study looking at whether or not early treatment with IVIG improves recovery. ENCEPH-IG is an individually randomised controlled trial of 356 adults: half will receive IVIG, and the other half will receive a placebo. The study will be carried out at approximately 50 hospitals in the Brain Infections UK network.

Principal Investigator

Adam Handel

Contact us

Email: marni.moran@ouh.nhs.uk

IRAS number

280904