Medication beliefs, adherence, and outcomes in people with asthma: The importance of treatment beliefs in understanding inhaled corticosteroid nonadherence-a retrospective analysis of a real-world data set

Are Treatment Adherence Factors Apparent in Patients with Asthma and to Physicians? Results from the APPaRENT 3 Survey

INTRODUCTION

Patient adherence to regular controller medication is critical for improving clinical outcomes in asthma, which is consistently associated with underlying pathophysiological inflammation. This survey aimed to identify types of treatment nonadherence and associated factors, including patient characteristics that predict poor adherence, in patients with asthma.

METHODS

This cross-sectional online survey involved patients with asthma and physicians managing such patients from Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) included in the Asthma Patients' and Physicians' Perspectives on the Burden and Management of Asthma (APPaRENT) 3 study. Patients and physicians shared their attitudes and beliefs regarding treatment and adherence in asthma management.

RESULTS

Most patients (82%, 1108/1354) reported having ever received treatment with daily controller inhalers, whereas 38% used inhaled relievers at least once daily for symptomatic relief. Among those prescribed maintenance and reliever therapy, 93% were prescribed a separate inhaled reliever, with significant variation by country (P < 0.01). Erratic nonadherence (primary definition) was exhibited by 55% (462/845) of patients including those who reported at least sometimes forgetting inhaler use, with its prevalence increasing with worsening asthma severity. Nonerratic nonadherence was exhibited by 49% (415/847) of patients including those who reported using controller inhalers less than once daily. Physicians reported that 73% of patients adhered to the prescribed regular medication. Regression analysis examining both erratic (primary definition) and nonerratic nonadherence revealed that current inhaled reliever used was the only significant predictor of poor adherence (P = 0.04). Sensitivity analyses revealed that the predictors of poor adherence to controller inhaler varied depending on the definition of nonadherence employed in the study.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed high rates of erratic and nonerratic nonadherence to regular controller inhalers in patients with asthma as well as discordance between adherence rates reported by patients and physicians.

Asthma patients' and physicians' perspectives on the burden and management of asthma: Post-hoc analysis of APPaRENT 1 and 2 to assess predictors of treatment adherence

INTRODUCTION

Patient adherence to maintenance medication is critical for improving clinical outcomes in asthma and is a recommended guiding factor for treatment strategy. Previously, the APPaRENT studies assessed patient and physician perspectives on asthma care; here, a post-hoc analysis aimed to identify patient factors associated with good adherence and treatment prescription patterns.

METHODS

APPaRENT 1 and 2 were cross-sectional online surveys of 2866 adults with asthma and 1883 physicians across Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Italy, Mexico, and the Philippines in 2020-2021. Combined data assessed adherence to maintenance medication, treatment goals, use of asthma action plans, and physician treatment patterns and preferences. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed associations between patient characteristics and both treatment prescription (by physicians) and patient treatment adherence.

RESULTS

Patient and physician assessments of treatment goals and adherence differed, as did reporting of short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) prescriptions alongside maintenance and reliever therapy (MART). Older age and greater patient-reported severity and reliever use were associated with better adherence. Patient-reported prescription of SABA with MART was associated with household smoking, severe or poorly controlled asthma, and living in China or the Philippines.

CONCLUSIONS

Results revealed an important disconnect between patient and physician treatment goals and treatment adherence, suggesting that strategies for improving patient adherence to maintenance medication are needed, focusing on younger patients with milder disease. High reliever use despite good adherence may indicate poor disease control. Personalised care considering patient characteristics alongside physician training in motivational communication and shared decision-making could improve patient management and outcomes.