Benefits and Problems of Home Infusion Therapy

Abstract

A survey was performed to clarify the benefits and problems of home infusion therapy because 8 years had passed since this type of treatment was officially approved in Japan. Questionairs were sent to hemophiliacs and the physicians in charge of hemophiliacs in the Kyushu district. The main results obtained from analysis of responses concerning 197 patients were as follows.
1) Out of 197, 140 patients were on home therapy programs.
2) The number of bleeding episodes was increased in 6.8%, decreased in 51.1% and unchanged in 42.1% of patients after the start of home infusion therapy programs.
3) The severity of bleeding symptoms was reduced in 92.9% of patients after the start of these programs.
4) After the start of home infusion therapy programs, the amount of blood products administered increased in 24.4%, decreased in 20.6% and was unchanged in 55.0%.
5) Complications such as abdominal pain, headache, ulticaria, itching, shivering, fever and discomfort were reported from 19 hemophiliacs. Only one of them visited the hospital due to severe abdominal pain which appeared immediately after home infusion of blood product.
6) It was indicated that better education or re-education of home infusion therapy is necessary for hemophiliacs and/or their families who are on home infusion therapy programs, because half of them had not received proper education concerning home infusion.