Skip to main content
Springer Nature - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Springer Nature - PMC COVID-19 Collection
letter
. 2021 Apr 28;58(4):391–392. doi: 10.1007/s13312-021-2202-x

Challenges in Chronic Genetic Disorders: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic

Swasti Pal 1, Sameer Bhatia 1, Sunita Bijarnia-Mahay 1, Ishwar C Verma 1, Ratna Dua Puri 1,
PMCID: PMC8079848  PMID: 33883315

Abstract

To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we interviewed 26 patients with lysosomal storage disorders receiving enzyme replacement therapy. 20 (77 %) had significant interruption in their treatment, with an average of 8 (range 2–28) missed doses. Alternate methods of delivering uninterrupted care including home therapy were used. Vulnerable patients with chronic genetic disorders require organization for their multidisciplinary needs of care.

Keywords: Enzyme replacement therapy, Lysosomal storage disorders

Footnotes

Ethical clearance

No. IEC SGRH; EC/12/20/1784, dated January 12, 2021.

Contributors

SP, SB: conception of work, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting and revising the work; SBM: drafting and revising the work; ICV: drafting the work and revising it critically for important intellectual content; RDP: conception and design of work, Interpretation of data, drafting and revising the work. All authors approved the final version of manuscript.

Funding

None for this study

Competing interests

None stated.

References

  • 1.Yang J, Zheng Y, Gou X, et al. Prevalence of comorbidities and its effects in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;94:91–95. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.03.017. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2.Elmonem MA, Belanger-Quintana A, Bordugo A, et al. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and management of inborn errors of metabolism: A global perspective. Mol Genet Metab. 2020:S1096-7192(20)30195-5. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  • 3.Muranjan M, Karande S. Enzyme replacement therapy in India: Lessons and insights. J Postgrad Med. 2018;64:195–99. doi: 10.4103/jpgm.JPGM_41_18. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Hamad L, Kreidieh K, Nakouzi G, Lyon E, Yazbek S. Recommended measures for the efficient care of patients with genetic disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in low and middle income countries. Am J Med Genet A. 2020 Oct 16. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.61879 [Epub ahead of print]. [DOI] [PubMed]
  • 5.Sechi A, Macor D, Valent S, et al. Impact of COVID-19 related healthcare crisis on treatments for patients with lysosomal storage disorders, the first Italian experience. Mol Genet Metab. 2020;130:170–71. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2020.04.002. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Andrade-Campos M, Escuder-Azuara B, de Frutos LL, Serrano-Gonzalo I, Giraldo P. Direct and indirect effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on Gaucher Disease patients in Spain: Time to reconsider home-based therapies? Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2020;85:102478. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2020.102478. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Giraldo P, Irún P, Alfonso P, et al. Evaluation of Spanish Gaucher disease patients after a 6-month imiglucerase shortage. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2011;46:115–8. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2010.09.005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 8.Solano M, Fainboim A, Politei J, et al. Enzyme replacement therapy interruption in patients with Mucopolysaccharidoses: Recommendations for distinct scenarios in Latin America. Mol Genet Metab Rep. 2020;23:100572. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgmr.2020.100572. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 9.Politei J. Fabry disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why and how treatment should be continued. Mol Genet Metab. 2020;130:227–29. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2020.06.002. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Indian Pediatrics are provided here courtesy of Nature Publishing Group

RESOURCES