ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Viral Immunology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1513712
The Impact of Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy on Resource Utilization Associated with Viral Respiratory Tract Infections
Provisionally accepted
- 1Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
- 2Grifols Shared Services North America,, Research Triangle Park., NC, United States
- 3University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
- 4Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
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Introduction: Immunocompromised patients with moderate to severe viral respiratory tract infections (VRTIs) may benefit from intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) in combination with antivirals. The impact of this therapy on hospital resource utilization is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess clinical outcomes and hospital resource utilization associated with IVIG use in immunocompromised patients hospitalized with VRTIs.Methods: Using the Premier Healthcare Database, data from 1,927 inpatients with immune deficiency and acute VRTI were analyzed. Outcomes included measures relevant to hospital resource use and patient death rates. Descriptive statistics were used to measure factors associated with IVIG use across the hospital stay. A logistic regression model adjusted for factors associated with the probability of IVIG use within 48 hours of admission. The propensity score was used to weigh subsequent models to assess the length of stay (total and ICU) using a negative binomial model and logistical regression for inpatient death.Results: Of the 1,927 patients analyzed, 65 received IVIG. When adjusting for IVIG use within 48 hours of admission and other patient and hospital characteristics, findings showed a significantly shorter hospital length of stay for patients with acute VRTIs when IVIG was given (p = 0.027). The length of ICU stay was also significantly shorter with IVIG use (p = 0.003). Discussion: Immunocompromised patients with VRTIs who receive IVIG within 48 hours of ICU admission may have a shorter ICU length of stay and shorter overall hospital length of stay thereby possibly decreasing healthcare resource use.
Keywords: Viral respiratory tract infection, immune deficiency, intravenous immune globulin, Healthcare resource utilization, Immunocompromised patients
Received: 18 Oct 2024; Accepted: 15 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 AZAR, Runken, Moughames, Howden, Oh and Blanchette. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: ANTOINE AZAR, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
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