Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery for lysosomal storage disorders at a tertiary care public hospital in Mumbai.

INTRODUCTION

Management of lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) requires periodic visits for medical surveillance and hospitalizations. Management of LSDs may have been adversely impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the factors impacting health care for patients with LSDs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted in Mumbai comparing infusion practices and reasons for missed infusions for 15 months before March 2020 versus two phases during the pandemic (April 2020-March 2021 and April 2021-March 2022) in patients receiving intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and on oral substrate reduction therapy (SRT).

RESULTS

Fifteen patients with LSDs were enrolled. Before the pandemic, 6/13 (46%) were receiving ERT at the study site, 4/13 (31%) at a local hospital, and 3/13 (23%) at home; two were on SRT. The median distance traveled for receiving ERT was 37 km, and 4.4 infusions/patient were missed. From April 2020 to March 2021, two more patients opted for home ERT infusions. The median distance traveled for receiving ERT was 37 km, and 11.6 infusions/patient were missed. From April 2021 to March 2022, one more patient opted for home ERT infusions. The median distance traveled for receiving ERT was 7 km, and 5.6 infusions/patient were missed. The pandemic also affected SRT compliance adversely. For all patients, the cause of disrupted treatment was travel curbs (69%) and fear of getting COVID-19 infection (38%).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of LSDs was disrupted during the pandemic, with an increase in missed ERT infusions and SRT doses.