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Multicenter Study
. 2021 Jan-Dec:35:20587384211044344.
doi: 10.1177/20587384211044344.

A multicenter survey on the aspects of everyday life in adult patients with primary antibody deficiencies treated with immunoglobulin G replacement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Katarzyna Napiórkowska-Baran  1 , Tomasz Rosada  1 , Ewa Więsik-Szewczyk  2 , Marcin Ziętkiewicz  3 , Aleksandra Matyja-Bednarczyk  4 , Karolina Baranowska  1 , Ewa Alska  1 , Marta Tykwińska  1 , Ewa Szynkiewicz  1 , Robert Zacniewski  1 , Kinga Grochowalska  3 , Zbigniew Bartuzi  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

A multicenter survey on the aspects of everyday life in adult patients with primary antibody deficiencies treated with immunoglobulin G replacement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Katarzyna Napiórkowska-Baran et al. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2021 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of everyday life. Patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) are in a particularly difficult situation. The purpose of the present study was to contribute to the very limited research on the everyday aspects of functioning in PID patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The survey included 85 adult PID patients treated with immunoglobulin replacement therapy in four reference centers for immunology. Everyday functioning of the patients as well as their opinion concerning new solutions in medical care were analyzed.

Results: During the pandemic, the percentage of patients experiencing fear/anxiety has increased from 47% to 70%. The wide dissemination of information about the SARS-CoV-2 in the media has increased anxiety in 40% of the patients. Patients diagnosed with PID were most afraid of the exposure to contact with strangers, especially in public places. As many as 67 respondents (79%) considered the introduction of restrictions concerning social functioning as good. Only every fifth person learned about the pandemic from reliable sources. Eighty three percent of the patients receiving immunoglobulin substitution experienced less fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patients positively evaluated the solutions related to the direct delivery of drugs to the place of residence in order to continue home IgRT therapy. Fifty three respondents (62.5%) believed that the possibility of a remote consultation was a very good solution.

Conclusion: It is necessary to increase educational activities concerning the pandemic provided by health care professionals, as patients obtain information mainly from the media and the Internet, which adversely affects the feeling of anxiety. The pandemic, in addition to the very negative impact on patients and the deterioration of their daily functioning, has made patients appreciate their life more, devote more time to family and friends, and do things they like.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; adult; anxiety; fear; immunoglobulin treatment; medical care; primary antibody deficiency; primary immunodeficiencies; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Comparison of the incidence of COVID-19 in Poland and in the world during the period of study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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