Table 2.

Comparison of intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin.

Characteristics	Intravenous	Subcutaneous
Frequency of infusion	Every 3–4 weeks	Usually given once in 7–10 days
Duration of infusion	Longer (at least over 6–8 h)	Shorter (2–4 h)
Administration of large volume	Is not difficult	Only a limited volume can be given in one sitting
Available concentrations	5%, 10%	10%, 16.5%, and 20%
Pharmacokinetics	Rapid increase initially followed by wearing off effect by 3rd–4th week	Steady serum IgG level. No wearing of effects
Dosing schedule	400–600 mg/kg every 3–4 weeks	100–200 mg/kg/week
Advantages	a.Proven efficacy b.Better monitoring	a.Home administration b.Venous access not required c.Systemic side effects are minimal d.Less needle discomfort and pain e.Less requirement of premedications
Disadvantages	a.Venous access is essential b.It requires hospital admission c.Chances of acute febrile reactions, headache and aseptic meningitis are higher d.Trough levels	a.Local site reactions like erythema, induration or swelling b.More frequent infusions are required