Adherence to subcutaneous immunotherapy with aeroallergens in real-life practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Allergy
; 77(1): 197-206, 2022 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1203825
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The success of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) mostly depends on regular injections. Our aim was to investigate adherence to SCIT with aeroallergens during the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrate clinical consequences of treatment disruptions in real life.METHODS:
Visual analogue scale for quality of life (VAS-QoL), VAS for symptom scores (VAS-symptom), medication scores (MSs), and total symptom scores (TSS-6) were recorded during the pandemic in 327 adult allergic rhinitis and/or asthmatic patients receiving maintenance SCIT, and these scores were compared with the pre-pandemic data. Patients were grouped according to SCIT administration intervals; no delay (Group 1), <2 months (Group 2), and ≥2-month intervals (Group 3).RESULTS:
A total of 104 (31.8%) patients (Group 3) were considered as nonadherent which was mostly related to receiving SCIT with HDMs and using public transportation for reaching the hospital. Median MS, VAS-symptom, and TSS-6 scores of Group 3 patients during the pandemic were higher than the pre-pandemic scores (p = 0.005, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas median VAS-QoL scores of Group 3 during the pandemic were lower than the pre-pandemic scores (p < 0.001). Median TSS-6 and VAS-symptom scores were the highest in Group 3 compared with other groups (p < 0.001 for each comparison). Median VAS-QoL scores were the lowest in Group 3 compared with Group 1 and Group 2 (p < 0.001, p = 0.043, respectively).CONCLUSION:
When precautions in allergy clinics are carefully applied, adherence to SCIT can be high during a pandemic. Patients must be encouraged to regularly adhere to SCIT injections since delays in SCIT administration can deteriorate clinical symptoms.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rhinitis, Allergic
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Allergy
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
All.14876
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