Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Neuropathies Treated with Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin.

Abstract

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are immune-mediated peripheral nerve disorders. Treatment typically involves immunoglobulin therapy, with both intravenous (IVIG) and subcutaneous (SCIG) routes being used. Although multiple studies have determined that these therapies are effective and comparable, a comprehensive assessment of quality of life (QoL) has not been systematically reviewed. This review aims to evaluate QoL in patients with MMN and CIDP who are treated with SCIG, including those who have made the transition from IVIG to SCIG. We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases for studies that measured QoL outcomes in MMN and CIDP patients receiving SCIG. The primary outcome was the change in QoL scores as measured by validated tools compared with baseline values collected during IVIG treatment. Secondary outcomes included adverse effects, treatment satisfaction and functional status. Our review suggests that SCIG may offer comparable QoL outcomes to IVIG with potential benefits in self-administration and reduced systemic adverse effects. This review provides evidence-based insights into the comparative effectiveness of SCIG and IVIG in improving QoL for MMN and CIDP patients. Future research should aim to standardize QoL assessment tools and include larger, long-term studies to better capture the nuanced benefits of SCIG.