Anxiety among the parents of pediatric patients receiving IVIG therapy during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background. Symptomatic COVID-19 cases in children occur mostly in those with primary immunodeficiency (PID), chronic lung diseases, and heart disease. Guidelines recommend that patients with PID continue to use their regular medication during the pandemic. Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate anxiety related to COVID-19 in the parents of patients receiving intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment in our hospital and to evaluate the effect of their anxiety on the continuity of treatment. Methods. The parents of the patients who underwent IVIG therapy in our clinic during the pandemic (between May 15, 2020 and July 1, 2020) were included in our study. Results. Twenty-seven patients with PID whose IVIG therapy was initiated before the pandemic and 29 nonPID control subjects were included in the study. All patients received IVIG treatment in our clinic continued treatment during the pandemic at the same dose intervals. Parents in the IVIG group had significantly higher state (p=0.003) and trait (p=0.003) anxiety scores compared to control parents. IVIG group showed statistically significant higher scores in Beck depression inventory, than the control group (p=0.002). Conclusions. The parents of PID patients who needed to come to the hospital for IVIG therapy had higher anxiety levels than the parents of similar aged children who presented to our clinic for different complaints between the same dates. Despite their concerns, the parents of all patients under IVIG therapy maintained treatment continuity at the recommended treatment intervals. None of our immunodeficient patients who presented for treatment during the pandemic contracted COVID-19 infection during our study.