ISSN: 2155-9899
Bob Geng, Fawad Piracha, Nazia Rashid, Michael Rigas
Background: Patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDD) typically require life-long immunoglobulin
(IG) replacement therapy. There are two routes of IG administration: intravenous (IVIG) and subcutaneous (SCIG).
To better understand routes of IG administration in the real-world, use in a home infusion setting was evaluated.
Objective: To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and perceived responses in PIDD patients on IVIG versus SCIG in a realworld,
home infusion setting.
Methods: Retrospective data were collected from 2010 to 2018 from a national home infusion pharmacy of PIDD
patients receiving IVIG or SCIG therapy for at least 6 months with evaluations for safety, efficacy, and patient
perception of response.
Results: A total of 149 patients were identified for analysis: IVIG (n=84) and SCIG (n=65). Overall, patients in the
SCIG group had higher rates of local adverse reactions, while patients receiving IVIG had higher rates of systemic
adverse reactions. Both SCIG and IVIG were effective as the majority of patients had ≤ 1 infection or hospital visit
within the study period. However, patients in the SCIG group had fewer hospital visits and lower rates of infections
overall. Patients receiving SCIG also perceived a faster speed of response.
Conclusion: SCIG infusions are safe, efficacious, and well tolerated when compared to IVIG, providing PIDD
patients with an alternative route of IG administration. Notably, hospital visits and infection rates were significantly
reduced in patients receiving SCIG. The overall findings of this study contribute to growing evidence that
demonstrates the benefits of SCIG in adult and pediatric patients with PIDD.