Influence of COVID 19 Pandemic on Shifting High Dose I-131 Therapy to Home Isolation Practice.

T, Munshy,; SH, Wagieh,; A, Khan,; S, Elmorsy,; Y, Mohamed,; Kh, Salman,

doi:10.21608/egyjnm.2021.172738

Influence of COVID 19 Pandemic on Shifting High Dose I-131 Therapy to Home Isolation Practice.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia. +

² Saudi Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging; Saudi Arabia.

³ King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia.+

⁴ Nuclear Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

⁵ King Abdullah Medical City, Saudi Arabia.

10.21608/egyjnm.2021.172738

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic forced medical facilities to postpone many elective services, including hospitalization for radioactive iodine (I131) therapy. This has negative impact on patients in need of this therapy in many countries, including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as they mandate hospital admission in special isolation room for few days to receive high dose I31 therapy. In other countries, this therapy is not significantly affected as high dose I-131 therapy on outpatient basis with home isolation (HDITO) is a well-established safe and effective therapeutic policy. Aim: To assess opinion of health care providers concerned with I131 therapy in KSA about HDITO and to verify acceptance to apply HDITO during current pandemic. Material and Methods: questionnaire about HDITO was electronically dispensed to health care providers in KSA and results were collected within four weeks to be statistically analysed. Results: Out of 101 respondents, about two thirds confirmed significant delay in giving high dose I-131 therapy due to COVID19. Half respondents agreed to apply HDITO, 85% agreement was reported for those frequently involved in I-131 therapy. Avoiding treatment delay with its unfavourable consequences represents the foremost etiological factor for agreement to apply the policy of giving HDITO, followed by avoiding overwhelming of health care system and saving patients from catching viral infection during the current pandemic . Respondent's agreement for application of the policy of HDITO was conditioned with presence of separate bedroom and bathroom for the patient, strict application of radiation safety instructions and proper waste disposalRespondents favour the use of a communication method with the patient and his/her family as hot line for answering any question about radiation protection issues raised at any time during post therapy period. Around 63% of respondents agreed about conducting a national multi-centric clinical study, providing approval from all related governmental radiation safety authorities in KSA, to ensure the safety and efficacy of HDITO. 50% Are so willing to participate in this study, this figure increases to 85% for those who are more frequently involved in I-131 therapy. CONCLUSION: Many healthcare professionals in KSA agreed to apply the policy of HDITO that appears to be good alternative to routine hospital admission during COVID19 pandemic. This study encourages performing a multi-centric research in KSA about HDITO, on approval from higher radiation safety authorities, to confirm its safety and efficacy to be applied in the future during any other pandemic.

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