Effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on treatment processes of patients with severe asthma who were managed with monoclonal antibody

Abstract

Background: Patients with severe asthma are at particularly higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to exacerbations of asthma caused by viral infections, SARS-CoV-2 viral load at hospitals and challenges in access to healthcare facilities due to some restrictions. Thus, we aimed to investigate effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on treatment and control of asthma in patients receiving monoclonal antibody MAb treatment. Methods: The patients, who were using MAb for treatment of for severe persistent asthma, were enrolled. Each patient was asked to fill in a validated Coronavirus anxiety scale and a mini survey. Results: Sixty-two patients (Female: 44; Male: 18), who were given MAb therapy for asthma, were enrolled. Patients’ treatment compliance was 56.5% in March-April-May 2020. Curfew was the most common government-related factors that have influenced patients’ compliance to treatment (35.5%). The most common individual factor was fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2 (40.3%). Exacerbated symptoms and need for additional treatment for asthma were significantly more common in patients, who were not compliant to treatment, compared to the patients adherent to MAb treatment (p: 0.034 and p:0.013) Conclusion: Treatment compliance has reduced in patients, who take MAb treatment, due to both governmental and individual reasons. This has led to more common admissions to emergency department with complaints of asthma and need for an additional treatment. All these findings indicate that patients should maintain their MAb treatments despite the pandemic and that they should minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by following the recommendations published in the guidelines.