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A summertime pause in immunoglobulin replacement therapy: a prospective real-world analysis

Victor Hémar1, Etienne Rivière1,2, Carine Greib1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, Bordeaux Hospital University, Avenue de Magellan, Pessac, 33604, France.

Immunotherapy
|November 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A summertime pause in immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) is safe for patients with mild secondary immunodeficiency (SID). This break did not increase infections, improved quality of life, and reduced costs.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) is crucial for primary and secondary immunodeficiencies.
  • A summertime pause (SP) in IgRT is sometimes considered but its effects require further investigation.
  • Understanding the impact of SP is essential for optimizing patient management and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a summertime pause (SP) in intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT).
  • To assess the impact of SP on infection rates, quality of life, and treatment costs.
  • To identify patient subgroups who may benefit from an SP in IgRT.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, single-center observational study.
  • Inclusion of 44 patients receiving intravenous IgRT between May and June 2019.
  • Comparison of outcomes between patients who underwent an SP (n=23) and those who did not.

Main Results:

  • Patients undergoing SP were older, had higher rates of secondary immunodeficiency (SID), and received lower immunoglobulin doses and more winter antibiotics.
  • No increased risk of infection was observed in patients who took an SP.
  • Quality of life improved, and treatment costs were reduced with an SP.
  • Patients not taking an SP predominantly had severe primary immunodeficiency.

Conclusions:

  • Summertime pauses in IgRT are a safe strategy for patients with mild secondary immunodeficiency.
  • SP in IgRT can lead to improved quality of life and cost savings.
  • Consideration of SP in IgRT management is recommended for eligible patients with mild SID.

Keywords:
common variable immunodeficiency infection controlhematological malignancyintravenous immunoglobulinprimary immunodeficiencyquality of lifereplacement therapysecondary immunodeficiencysummertime pausetreatment satisfaction

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