A comparison between intravenous and subcutaneous immunogobulin.

NEUROPATHY; MOVEMENT disorders; CHI-squared test; HEALTH surveys; HOME care services; IMMUNOGLOBULINS; IMMUNOTHERAPY; INTERVIEWING; INTRAVENOUS therapy; LIFE skills; RESEARCH methodology; MOTOR neuron diseases; PATIENT satisfaction; QUALITY of life; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; STATISTICAL sampling; JUDGMENT sampling; TREATMENT effectiveness; DATA analysis software; PATIENTS' attitudes; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; SUBCUTANEOUS infusions; MANN Whitney U Test

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is a rare immune-mediated disease that presents with predominantly distal motor weakness in one or more limbs without sensory loss. Symptoms may give rise to functional impairment and consequently may affect quality of life. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin's therapy (IVIg) is the current mainstay treatment, however, subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) is emerging as a viable alternative. The purpose of this study was to explore the patients' experience of SCIg and ascertain if those receiving it had an improved quality of life and treatment satisfaction compared to those receiving IVIg. Using a mixed method approach this paper will present its findings and key implications for clinical and research practice are considered. The results from this study suggest that home SCIg therapy may prove a more desirable treatment option than IVIg for a proportion of MMN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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