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Improving Quality of Life at Home for Pediatric Patients and Families With Primary Immune Deficiencies Using Subcutaneous Immune Globulin Infusions

Penn State University Children's Hospital

Pediatric patients diagnosed with primary antibody deficiencies often require lifelong immune globulin replacement to help protect them from life-threatening infections. Although this is not a cure or a treatment for the disorder, replacement therapy is necessary to maintain health. The two current viable routes for immune globulin replacement are intravenous or subcutaneous. For many patients, subcutaneous infusions improve quality of life by offering greater independence and better control of the therapy situation and daily life. Subcutaneous infusions have been shown to be easy for both adult patients and children and their parents and to be safe, with minimal or no systemic reactions and no transmission of the hepatitis C virus. All of these factors are very important when considering replacement therapy. Home nursing care and support can also help provide additional support to improve treatment outcomes to enhance quality of life.

Key Words: quality • pediatric • home • immune deficiencies • subcutaneous • infusion

Home Health Care Management & Practice, Vol. 19, No. 6, 431-435 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1084822307304262


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