Adherent Subgroup Research Articles

National Implementation of CPAP Telemonitoring and a Pay-for-performance Scheme for Homecare Providers in France Leads to Prioritisation of Resources to Individuals with Low Therapy Adherence: The IMPACT-PAP Cohort Study

IntroductionLong-term adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea remains suboptimal and low adherence increases healthcare costs. This study investigated relationships between CPAP adherence and the intensity of support provided by homecare providers after implementation of telemonitoring and pay-for-performance reimbursement for CPAP in France. MethodsAdults who started CPAP in 2018/2019, used telemonitoring, and had ≥1 year of homecare provider data were eligible. The main objective was to determine associations between CPAP adherence at 1 month (low [<2h/night], intermediate [2 to <4h/night], high [≥4h/night]) and the number/type of homecare provider interactions (home visits, phone calls, mask change) during the first year. ResultsEleven thousand, one hundred sixty-six individuals were included (mean age 59.8±12.7 years, 67% male). The number of homecare provider interactions per person increased significantly as 1-month CPAP usage decreased (7.65±4.3, 6.5±4.0, 5.4±3.4 in low, intermediate and high adherence groups; p<0.01). There was marked improvement in device usage over the first 5–6 months of therapy in the low and intermediate adherence subgroups (p<0.05 after adjustment for age, sex, initial CPAP adherence, and number of interactions). After adjustment for age, sex and 1-month adherence, having 3–4 interactions was significantly associated with better 1-year adherence (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.05–1.46), while having >7 interactions was significantly associated with worse 1-year adherence. ConclusionsThe telemonitoring/reimbursement scheme in France had a positive impact on CPAP adherence and facilitated a more personalised approach to therapy management, focusing resources on patients with low and intermediate adherence.

Treatment adherence rates across different psychiatric disorders and settings: findings from a large patient cohort.

Approximately 50% of patients with psychiatric disorders do not fully adhere to the prescribed psychopharmacological therapy, significantly impacting the progression of the disorder and the patient's quality of life. The present study aimed to assess potential differences in terms of rates and clinical features of treatment adherence in a large cohort of psychiatric patients with different diagnoses attending various psychiatric services. The study included 307 psychiatric patients diagnosed with a primary major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenic spectrum disorder, or personality disorder. Patient's adherence to treatment was evaluated using the Clinician Rating Scale, with a cutoff of at least five defining adherence subgroups. One-third of the sample reported poor medication adherence. A lower rate of adherence emerged among patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Subjects with poor adherence were more frequently inpatients and showed higher current substance use, a greater number of previous hospitalizations, and more severe scores at psychopathological assessment compared with patients with positive adherence. Poor adherence was associated with symptom severity and increased rates of relapses and rehospitalizations. In addition, substance use appears to be an unfavorable transdiagnostic factor for treatment adherence.

Treatment adherence across different psychiatric disorders: findings from a large patient cohort

IntroductionMedication adherence was defined by the WHO as “the extent to which a person’s behavior coincides with the medical advice given” (WHO, 2003). Existing literature indicates that approximately 49% of patients with major psychiatric disorders do not fully adhere to their prescribed psychopharmacological therapy (Colom et al, 2002). Non-adherence can lead to partial therapeutic responses or treatment resistance, increased risk of relapse, re-hospitalization, elevated suicide risk, and overall poorer functioning, thereby compromising the patient-doctor therapeutic relationship (Garcìa et al, 2016).ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess potential differences in terms of clinical features related to adherence to treatment in a large cohort of psychiatric patients of an Italian psychiatric department.MethodsThe study included 307 psychiatric patients, of any gender or age, diagnosed with unipolar depression (UD), bipolar depression (BD), anxiety disorders (AD), schizophrenic spectrum disorders (SS) or a primary diagnosis of personality disorders (PD), based on DSM-5 criteria. Patients were consecutively recruited from the Department of Psychiatry at Luigi Sacco University Hospital, in Milan. The patient’s adherence to treatment was evaluated using the Clinician Rating Scale (CRS), with a cut-off of ≥ 5 defining adherence subgroups (A+: score ≥ 5; A-: score &lt; 5). Comparative and predictive analysis were performed for the whole sample and the two adherence subgroups.ResultsOverall, nearly one-third of the whole sample reported suboptimal medication adherence. Specifically, rates were approximately 35.3% and 32.7% for BD and SS, respectively, followed by 30.8% for PD, 28% for AD and, 20.3% for UD (see Figure 1). Patients with A- showed significantly higher current substance abuse (17.8% vs 4.5%, p&lt;.001), along with a higher rate of lifetime substance abuse, although with a trend towards significance (31.5% vs 20.5%; p=.057). Moreover, the A- group had a significantly higher number of lifetime hospitalizations (1.35 ± 1.8 vs 0.73 ± 1.11; p&lt;.001) and higher rate of previous psychotropic treatment dropouts compared to the A+ group (90% vs. 36.2%; p&lt;.001, see Figure 2).Image:Image 2:ConclusionsApproximately one-third of the whole sample reported a suboptimal medication adherence, with varying rates across different diagnoses. Current and lifetime substance abuse appears to be an unfavorable transdiagnostic factor. Additionally, severe outcomes such as increased hospitalizations and a more acute disease presentation are linked to poorer adherence. Recognizing the characteristics of adherence patterns within specific diagnostic categories is crucial for designing precise interventions to enhance patient outcomes and optimize the overall effectiveness of treatment.Disclosure of InterestN. Girone: None Declared, B. Benatti Speakers bureau of: Angelini, Lundbeck, Janssen, Rovi., M. Cocchi: None Declared, F. Achilli: None Declared, C. Viganò: None Declared, M. Vismara: None Declared, B. Dell’Osso Grant / Research support from: Angelini, Lundbeck, Janssen, Pfizer, Otzuka, Neuraxpharm, and Livanova, Speakers bureau of: Angelini, Lundbeck, Janssen, Pfizer, Otzuka, Neuraxpharm, and Livanova

Health Status Progression Measured Using Weekly Telemonitoring of COPD Assessment Test Scores Over 1 Year and Its Association With COPD Exacerbations.

A previous longitudinal study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) score changes suggested patients fall into 3 patterns: stable, improving, and worsening. This study assessed the evolution of CAT scores over time and its relationship to exacerbations. In total, 84 participants used a telemedicine platform to complete CAT weekly for 52 weeks. Completion rates, annualized change in CAT scores, and learning effects were measured, as well as CAT changes of >4 units during look-back periods of 4 and 8 weeks. In a subgroup of participants with at least a 25% completion rate (adherent group, n=68 [81%]), the relationship between change in CAT score and exacerbations at any time during the study was examined post hoc. Linear regression showed that 50%, 22%, and 28% of the adherent subgroup had CAT scores indicating worsening, stable, and improving health status, respectively. In the adherent subgroup, 70% (n=7/10) of participants who had an exacerbation during the study had worsening CAT scores, versus 47% (n=27/58) without an exacerbation. The hazard ratio association between CAT score increase and moderate exacerbation was 1.13 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.24). Most participants experienced at least one CAT score change of >4 units, and 7% showed an initial learning effect with a median of 2 weeks. Measuring trends in CAT scores may allow future studies to group patients into 3 defined categories of change over time and quantify CAT change trajectories to assess treatment response and potentially predict medium-term outcomes within individual patients.

Adherence to ACSM exercise guidelines and its influence on Fibromyalgia treatment outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a multifaceted chronic pain disorder that exerts a substantial impact on the overall state of health and quality of life of patients. Investigate the effects of exercise therapy and adherence to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines on treatment outcomes in FMS patients. The literature search, which concluded in October 2023, encompassed studies investigating the impact of exercise interventions on patients diagnosed with FMS and providing adequate data for calculating standardized mean difference (SMD). The primary outcome measures encompassed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), while secondary outcome measures comprised pain levels, sleep quality, fatigue, and mental health. Among 4,008 records, 19 studies (patients = 857) were eligible for qualitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed that the SMD for overall state of health impact was -0.94 (95%CI -1.26, -0.63), and the pooled SMD for the subgroup with high adherence to ACSM guidelines was -1.17 (95%CI -1.65, -0.69). The SMD for the subgroup with low or uncertain adherence was -0.73 (95%CI -1.12, -0.34). The overall effects included a -1.21 (95%CI -1.62, -0.79) SMD for pain relief, with high adherence achieving a -1.32 (95%CI -2.00, -0.64) SMD and low adherence a -1.06 (95%CI -1.55, -0.57) SMD. Mental health improvements showed a -0.95 (95%CI -1.32, -0.57) overall SMD, with high and low adherence subgroups at -0.96 (95%CI -1.62, -0.30) and -0.94 (95%CI -1.29, -0.60), respectively. Sleep quality impact was -1.59 (95%CI -2.31, -0.87) overall, with high adherence at -1.71 (95%CI -2.58, -0.83) and low adherence at -1.11 (95%CI -1.88, -0.33). Fatigue impact had a -1.55 (95%CI -2.26, -0.85) overall SMD, with -1.77 (95%CI -3.18, -0.36) for high adherence and -1.35 (95%CI -2.03, -0.66) for low adherence. Exercise therapy can improve the overall state of health, pain, sleep, and fatigue of FMS patients, particularly when adhering to ACSM guidelines. However, adherence levels do not affect mental health gains, indicating a need for future research on psychological impact. https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-3-0106/, identifier INPLASY202430106.

Abstract 11306: Trajectories of Ticagrelor Adherence in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes

Introduction: Adherence is often measured using proportion of days covered (PDC), where the single average PDC that is estimated conceals the heterogeneity of the adherence patterns, each of which may require unique solutions. Novel group-based trajectory methods allow one to distinguish subgroups of adherence patterns. We examined the magnitude of variation in PDC estimates in these subgroups. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≥65 years who had filled ticagrelor within 7 days post-ACS discharge in Ontario, Canada between 4/2014-3/2018. Longitudinal patterns of adherence were measured using group-based trajectory models over 1 year and compared with traditional adherence metrics using PDC for the entire cohort and for each trajectory group. Results: We identified 9,764 ticagrelor users (mean age 73.6; 65.4% men). Three distinct trajectory patterns of ticagrelor adherence were identified: a consistently adherent, a gradually nonadherent, and a rapidly nonadherent group, comprising 67.8%, 17.1% and 15.1% of the cohort, respectively. The 1-year mean PDC (±SD) was 80.8±29.2 for the whole ticagrelor post-ACS cohort. After differentiating by adherence trajectory group, mean PDC (±SD) was 97.4±4.5 % in the consistently adherent, while it was 69.1±15.6% and 20.2±11.6 over 1 year in the gradually and rapidly non-adherent trajectory groups, respectively. Conclusions: The overall ticagrelor adherence of ~80% 1-year post-ACS instills a false sense of comfort. The 3 distinct trajectory groups revealed divergent patterns not reflected by this overall mean estimate. The two-thirds of patients who were consistently adherent maintained nearly perfect ticagrelor adherence, while the rapidly non-adherent group only took ticagrelor on average for 2.5 months of the year. The trajectory method approach allows us to distinguish adherence subgroups, and better identify patients at risk of nonadherence who need targeted interventions.

Assessment of Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Lifestyle Change during COVID-19 National Lockdown in Tunisian Adult Population.

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a plant-based diet associated with a reduction in the risk of developing COVID-19 comorbidities. Lockdown instigation during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected eating habits and lifestyles, highlighting the need to analyze the healthiness of new consumption patterns. We conducted a survey to assess lifestyle change in Tunisian adults and their MD adherence. A total of 1082 respondents completed a self-administered online survey designed to assess their food and lifestyle habits. Poor overall adherence to MD was observed (mean MEDAS score 6.6, SD 1.07) in a preponderance of the mid-MD adherent subgroup (71.2% of the participants). Location, age, profession, and household welfare proxy were the main determinants of high MD adherence. When adjusting for sociodemographic variables, location and income remained statistically significant. Positive health outcomes were noticed in respondents with high MEDAS scores. Most importantly, binary logistic regression showed that risk of COVID-19 infection decreased as MEDAS score increased for unvaccinated obese participants (OR = 0.63; confidence interval (CI) 0.4–0.98; p = 0.045). Regarding lifestyle changes, confinement had contributed to an overall reduction in cigarette consumption, sleeping hours, and physical activity. Long-term consequences of these changes on health outcomes must be further explored.

A Smartphone App for Promoting Mental Well-being and Awareness of Anxious Symptoms in Adolescents: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To design a smartphone app and evaluate its effect on promoting mental well-being and awareness of anxious symptoms in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A pilot cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with two secondary schools (390 students, mean age 13.1 years) randomized to the intervention and control groups. An app was designed to encourage "Sharing, Mind, and Enjoyment (SME)" between students and their parents (e.g., express gratitude), including interaction and game elements. The app was used daily over 1 month. The waitlist control group was offered the app after completing all assessments. The primary outcomes were changes in SME behaviors measured at 1 month and 3 months. Secondary outcomes included subjective happiness, well-being, personal health and happiness, family health, happiness and harmony, self-perceived knowledge, and understanding of anxious symptoms. Two focus groups of students and three individual in-depth interviews of community partners were conducted. Results: Seventeen of 152 students (11.2%) in the intervention group used the app together with parents (adherent subgroup) and 69 (45.4%) used it without involving parents. The intervention group did not show significant difference in the change of SME behaviors at 1- or 3-month follow-up compared with the control group. However, the intervention group reported greater increase in the awareness of anxious symptoms at follow-ups than the control group (d = 0.52 at 1 month and d = 0.43 at 3 month, both P < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed a significantly greater increase in SME-related behaviors in the adherent subgroup than the control group at 3 months (d = 0.46, P = 0.04). The interviews found favorable changes in app users, but motivation to use the app was low in general. Both students and community partners suggested primary school students would be more receptive users. Conclusions: The app did not show effectiveness in increasing SME behaviors of students, but increased awareness of anxious symptoms. Further improvements and tests are warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03361475.

0540 First Year PAP Trajectories among Treatment-Naive Youth with Sleep Disordered Breathing

Abstract Introduction Little is known about the time course for youth adjusting to and achieving optimal PAP adherence. Methods This retrospective study identified 12-month PAP trajectories and treatment persistence following treatment initiation in youth. Participants were first-time PAP initiators receiving care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital from 07/2017-12/2019. Electronic downloads provided monthly PAP use. Adherence indicators were frequency (percentage of nights PAP used each month) and duration of use (average usage hours on nights used each month). Persistence of group-level adherence (frequency and duration) was measured via descriptive statistics in SPSS. Adherence sub-groups were identified using longitudinal mixed models in MPlus. Results The sample was 169 youth ages 2-22yrs started on PAP. Within the first month, 55% of participants were using PAP &amp;gt;50% of nights and 43% were using for &amp;gt;4 hours/night. Adherence (frequency and duration, respectively) decreased by month as follows: month 3 - 48% and 42%; month 6 - 41% and 41%; month 12 - 36% and 32%. Longitudinal mixed models identified 5 trajectories for frequency of use (based on the model of best fit using BIC index): “starts high, stays high” (34% of sample); “starts high, slowly decreasing” (7%); “starts high, rapidly decreasing” (12%); “starts low, slowly increasing” (8%); “starts low, stays low” (39%). Two trajectories were identified for duration (average hours worn on nights used, also based on model of best fit) and included: “starts high, slowly increasing” (40%) and “starts low, stays low” (60%). Conclusion At the group level, PAP adherence was sub-optimal in the first month of use (around half of participants using PAP &amp;gt;50% of nights or for &amp;gt;4 hours) and declined over the subsequent 11 months. However, mixed models identified distinct adherence subgroups, with about 40% of the sample falling into subgroups with relatively high adherence by month 12. This suggests acclimation to PAP takes time in a pediatric population. Findings may help clinicians/policy makers set realistic expectations around time to achieve optimal PAP adherence among youth, and highlights the need for further PAP adherence promotion interventions. Support (If Any) First, and fourth authors’ time supported by NIH post-doctoral training grants (T32 DK063929 and T32HD068223, respectively).

Static and group-based trajectory analyses of factors associated with non-adherence in patients with multiple sclerosis newly-initiating once- or twice-daily oral disease-modifying therapy.

BackgroundIncreased understanding of adherence may facilitate optimal targeting of interventions.ObjectiveTo utilize group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) to understand longitudinal patterns of adherence and factors associated with non-adherence in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) newly-initiating once-/twice-daily oral disease-modifying therapy (DMT) (fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, or teriflunomide).MethodsCommercial plan data were analyzed using proportion of days covered (PDC) to evaluate factors associated with non-adherence. GBTM clustered patient subgroups with similar longitudinal patterns of adherence measured by monthly PDC (≥80%) and multinomial logistic regression identified factors associated with adherence trajectory subgroups.ResultsAmong 7689 patients, 39.5% were non-adherent to once-/twice-daily oral DMTs. Characteristics associated with non-adherence (PDC<80%) included younger age, female, depression or migraine, switching during follow-up, more frequent dosing, relapse, and absence of magnetic resonance imaging. GBTM elucidated three adherence subgroups: Immediately Non-Adherent (14.9%); Gradually Non-Adherent (19.5%), and Adherent (65.6%). Additional factors associated with adherence (i.e. region, chronic lung disease) were identified and factors differed among trajectory subgroups.ConclusionThese analyses confirmed that a significant proportion of patients with MS are non-adherent to once-/twice-daily oral DMTs. Unique patterns of non-adherence and factors associated with patterns of adherence emerged. The approach demonstrated how quantitative trajectories can help clinicians develop tailored interventions.

Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Outcomes in Veterans With Type 2 Diabetes.

Nearly 25% of patients served in the US Department of Veterans Affairs have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients with DM typically monitor their blood glucose using intermittent fingerstick self-testing. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) might offer improved disease management. We conducted a retrospective of VA patient records using a pre-post model. Average hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values were calculated for the year before and the year after CGM initiation. Our primary objective was to determine change in HbA1c from the year before CGM initiation to the year after. Secondary objectives included changes in blood pressure, weight, and DM-related hospital and clinic visits during the same time frame. Both the total population and the adherent subgroup showed reduction in HbA1c. The complete population showed a HbA1c change of -0.3, and the adherent subgroup had a change of -1.3. The total population had a mean change in weight of -1.9 lb (-0.9 kg), and the adherent subgroup had an average change of -8.0 lb. Average systolic blood pressure changes were -0.1 mm Hg in the total population and +3.3 mm Hg in the adherent subgroup. A decrease in total encounters for DM complications was observed in the total population (-0.3 total encounters per patient) and the adherent subgroup (-0.6 total encounters per patient). CGM did not correspond with clinically significant reductions in HbA1c. However, veterans with increased health care engagement were likely to achieve clinically significant HbA1c improvements. Adherent patients also had more reduction in weight and hospital or clinic visits with CGM compared with the total population.

Health education: the effects of an educational program on the health of hypertensive patients with low educational level

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): FAPEMIG Introduction Health education is one of the most complete practices for supporting of patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension. It is important, however, to investigate which strategies would be more assertive in this process, depending on the objective and profile of the patient. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an interactive educational program on the health of hypertensive patients with low educational level in a Basic Health Unit in Brazil. Methods: This is an almost experimental study, with a multidisciplinary approach, with 6 months of duration. Interactive workshops were held where topics related to hypertension, such as: pathophysiology, complications, drug and non-drug therapeutic approach and lifestyle change. It is important to emphasize that the work used interactive and playful sessions, such as games, videos and group dynamics. The sample consisted of 35 hypertensive individuals submitted to blood pressure (systolic = SBP and diastolic = DBP) measurement, quality of life (Minichal), adherence to treatment (Martín-Bayarre-Grau), level of knowledge of the disease, physical activity (IPAQ) and anthropometric study evaluation. In addition, for analysis of the data, the sample was divided into two subgroups, according to the participation in the activities: adhered (n = 11) or not adhered (n = 24). Initially, descriptive statistics were used to present the study variables. Subsequently, the WILCOXON test was used to compare before and after and MANN-WHITNEY to compare the two groups, p = 0.05 was considered significant. Results: No significant difference was found relating the initial data in the two subgroups. After the educational program, a significant reduction was observed in relation to the SBP values: 9.8 mmHg in the adherent subgroup. On the other hand, there was increased 0.7 mmHg among non-adherents. The other evaluations did not change. It should be emphasized that the studied population demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge of the pathology and the therapeutic process necessary since the initial evaluation in both groups. Such finding, however, was not related to adherence to treatment. Conclusion: the findings suggest that an adapted educational approach could help to control blood pressure levels of hypertensive patients with low educational level. In addition, it was observed that knowledge does not seem to be associated with action, and it is necessary to develop strategies that can increase adherence to therapeutic interventions.

1024. Impact of Treatment Adherence on Efficacy of DTG/3TC and DTG + TDF/FTC: Pooled Analysis of the GEMINI 1 and 2 Clinical Trials

BackgroundGEMINI 1 & 2 are global double-blind, multi-center phase III non-inferiority studies evaluating efficacy and safety of dolutegravir (DTG) + lamivudine (3TC) once daily in treatment-naive HIV-1-infected adults with Screening HIV-1 RNA ≤ 500,000 c/mL (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02831673/NCT02831764). Participants were randomized 1:1 to treatment with DTG+3TC or DTG + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC). The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with plasma HIV-1 RNA < 50 c/mL at Week 48 (Snapshot algorithm). DTG+3TC was non-inferior to DTG+TDF/FTC at Weeks 48 and 96. Here we evaluate the impact of treatment adherence on Week 48 virologic response (VR) within the GEMINI trials as a post-hoc analysis.MethodsAdherence was estimated using pill counts data and categorized as follows: ≥ 90% vs < 90%. Week 48 VR was measured as % of participants with HIV-1 RNA < 50 c/mL by Food and Drug Administration Snapshot and by last on treatment viral load (VL) for the intention to treat–exposed population for which adherence could be derived. VR and differences between treatment arms within each adherence category were calculated along with exact unadjusted 95% confidence intervals.Results5% of participants had < 90% adherence in both treatment arms. Baseline VL and CD4+ cell counts were similar across adherence categories. VR was lower in the < 90% adherence group than the ≥ 90% group, but not different between the 2 treatment arms within the same adherence category: In the low adherence group, DTG+3TC VR was 69% compared to 65% in DTG+TDF/FTC arm by Snapshot and 91% and 85% respectively by last on treatment VL analysis (Table).Table. ConclusionIn the GEMINI studies, a lower Week 48 VR was observed in participants with < 90% adherence, but the impact of lower adherence on VR was similar in the DTG+3TC compared with DTG+TDF/FTC arms. One limitation of the analysis is the small number of participants in the lower adherence subgroup. However, the results add further information about the robustness of DTG+3TC compared to 3-drug DTG-containing regimens and may suggest similar regimen forgiveness.DisclosuresMounir Ait-Khaled, PhD, ViiV Healthcare (Employee, Shareholder) Choy Man, BSc, ViiV Healthcare (Employee, Shareholder) Jorg Sievers, DPhil, ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Richard Grove, MSc, GSK/ViiV (Employee, Shareholder) Brian Wynne, MD, ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Rimgaile Urbaityte, MSc, GlaxoSmithKline (Employee, Shareholder) Jean A. van Wyk, MB,ChB, ViiV Healthcare (Employee, Shareholder) Debbie Hagins, MD, Gilead Sciences Inc. (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator, Advisor or Review Panel member)Janssen (Grant/Research Support)Merck (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Viiv Healthcare (Consultant, Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member) Andrew Zolopa, MD, ViiV Healthcare (Employee)

Educational approach for hypertensive people with low educational level

Abstract Introduction The educational process in the treatment of patients with arterial hypertension is common but, generally exclude from the sample illiterate individuals or those with a low level of schooling. Objective evaluate the effect of an educational program based on group interventions on the health of hypertensive individuals with low level of schooling in a Basic Health Unit in Brazil. Methods This is a educational quasi-experimental study, adapted to the level of schooling of the participants, carried out during a period of 23 weeks. It was evaluated 35 hypertensive individuals submitted to blood pressure (BP) measurement, quality of life (Minichal), adherence to treatment (Martín-Bayarre-Grau), level of knowledge of the disease, physical activity (IPAQ) and anthropometric study evaluation. In addition, for analysis of the data, the sample was divided into two subgroups, according to the participation in the activities: adhered (n = 11) or not adhered (n = 24). Descriptive statistics were used to present the study variables. The WILCOXON test was used to compare before and after and MANN-WHITNEY to compare the two groups, p = 0.05 was considered significant. Results a significant reduction was observed in relation to the systolic BP values: 9.8 mmHg in the adherent subgroup, after the intervention. On the other hand, there was increased 0.7 mmHg among non-adherents. The other evaluations did not change. It should be emphasized that the studied population demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge of the pathology since the initial evaluation in both groups. Conclusions the findings suggest that an adapted educational approach could help to control blood pressure levels of hypertensive patients with low educational level. In addition, it was observed that knowledge does not seem to be associated with action, and it is necessary to develop strategies that can increase adherence to therapeutic interventions. Key messages Educational intervention. Low educational level.

Changes in medication adherence among patients with asthma and COPD during the COVID-19 pandemic

Changes in medication adherence among patients with asthma and COPD during the COVID-19 pandemic

Long-term Noninvasive Ventilation in Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome Without Severe OSA: The Pickwick Randomized Controlled Trial

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is an effective form of treatment in obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) with severe OSA. However, there is paucity of evidence in patients with OHS without severe OSA phenotype. Is NIV effective in OHS without severe OSA phenotype? In this multicenter, open-label parallel group clinical trial performed at 16 sites in Spain, we randomly assigned 98 stable ambulatory patients with untreated OHS and apnea-hypopnea index< 30 events/h (ie, no severe OSA) to NIV or lifestyle modification (control group) using simple randomization through an electronic database. The primary end point was hospitalization days per year. Secondary end points included other hospital resource utilization, incident cardiovascular events, mortality, respiratory functional tests, BP, quality of life, sleepiness, and other clinical symptoms. Both investigators and patients were aware of the treatment allocation; however, treating physicians from the routine care team were not aware of patients' enrollment in the clinical trial. The study was stopped early in its eighth year because of difficulty identifying patients with OHS without severe OSA. The analysis was performed according to intention-to-treat and per-protocol principles and by adherence subgroups. Forty-nine patients in the NIV group and 49 in the control group were randomized, and 48 patients in each group were analyzed. During a median follow-up of 4.98 years (interquartile range, 2.98-6.62), the mean hospitalization days per year ± SD was 2.60 ± 5.31 in the control group and 2.71 ± 4.52 in the NIV group (adjusted rate ratio, 1.07; 95%CI, 0.44-2.59; P= .882). NIV therapy, in contrast with the control group, produced significant longitudinal improvement in Paco2, pH, bicarbonate, quality of life (Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 physical component), and daytime sleepiness. Moreover, per-protocol analysis showed a statistically significant difference for the time until the first ED visit favoring NIV. In the subgroup with high NIV adherence, the time until the first event of hospital admission, ED visit, and mortality was longer than in the low adherence subgroup. Adverse events were similar between arms. In stable ambulatory patients with OHS without severe OSA, NIV and lifestyle modification had similar long-term hospitalization days per year. A more intensive program aimed at improving NIV adherence may lead to better outcomes. Larger studies are necessary to better determine the long-term benefit of NIV in this subgroup of OHS. ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01405976; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Cost-effectiveness of positive airway pressure modalities in obesity hypoventilation syndrome with severe obstructive sleep apnoea

BackgroundObesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is treated with either non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or CPAP, but there are no long-term cost-effectiveness studies comparing the two treatment modalities.ObjectivesWe performed a large, multicentre, randomised,...

Electronic medication monitors help determine adherence subgroups in asthma.

Non-adherence to treatment regimens in asthma is well described, however less is known about temporal patterns of medication use. We monitored 20 weeks of controller medication use and analyzed these patterns in patients ≥4 years of age with self-reported asthma enrolled in a digital health program. At baseline, approximately 20%, 28%, 25% and 27% of patients had optimal, moderate, sub-optimal and poor adherence, respectively. Medication adherence decreased in all groups in this study. The largest absolute decreases in adherence (-32%) were observed for moderately adherent patients. Certain adherence patterns which demonstrated greater declines, that, once identified, could be intervened upon.

Cost of survivorship care and adherence to screening-aligning the priorities of health care systems and survivors.

Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) experience significant morbidity due to treatment- related late effects and benefit from late-effects surveillance. Adherence to screening recommendations is suboptimal. Survivorship care programs often struggle with resource limitations and may benefit from understanding institution-level financial outcomes associated with patient adherence to justify programmatic development and growth. The purpose of this study is to examine how CCS adherence to screening recommendations relates to the cost of care, insurance status, and institution-level financial outcomes. A retrospective chart review of 286 patients, followed in a structured survivorship program, assessed adherence to the Children's Oncology Group follow-up guidelines by comparing recommended versus performed screening procedures for each patient. Procedure cost estimates were based on insurance status. Institutional profit margins and profit opportunity loss were calculated. Bivariate statistics tested adherent versus nonadherent subgroup differences on cost variables. A generalized linear model predicted the likelihood of adherence based on cost of recommended procedures, controlling for age, gender, race, and insurance. Adherence to recommended surveillance procedures was 50.2%. Nonadherence was associated with higher costs of recommended screening procedures compared to the adherent group estimates ($2,469.84 vs. $1,211.44). Failure to perform the recommended tests resulted in no difference in reimbursement to the health system between groups ($1,249.63 vs. $1,211.08). For the nonadherent group, this represented $1,055.13 in "lost profit opportunity" per visit for patients, which totaled $311,850 in lost profit opportunity due to nonadherence in this subgroup. In the final model, nonadherence was related to higher cost of recommended procedures (p < .0001), older age at visit (p = .04), Black race (p = .02), and government-sponsored insurance (p = .03). Understanding institutional financial outcomes related to patient adherence may help inform survivorship care programs and resource allocation. Potential financial burden to patients associated with complex care recommendations is also warranted.

Adherence to anti-osteoporosis medication associated with lower mortality following hip fracture in older adults: a nationwide propensity score-matched cohort study

BackgroundWe investigated the association of anti-osteoporosis medication with mortality risk in older adults with hip fractures and evaluated the influence of medication adherence on mortality.MethodsWe conducted a population-based cohort study and identified a total of 13,123 patients aged 65 years or older with hip fracture from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database during the period 2001–2010. Individuals with (n = 2092) and without (n = 2092) receiving anti-osteoporosis medication were matched using propensity score matching (1:1 ratio). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after the index fracture were compared between patients with and without treatment. In the treated group, survival rate was compared between those with good and non-adherence. Good adherence was defined as the medication possession ratio of ≥80% and non-adherence as a ratio < 80%.ResultsThe 1-, 3- and 5-year mortality rates were significantly lower in the treated vs. the non-treated group (all p < 0.0001). In the treated group, the estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were higher in those with good adherence than in those with non-adherence (all p < 0.0001). Regarding all-cause mortality, the adjusted hazard ratio in the treated vs. the non-treated group was 0.63 (95% confidence interval 0.58–0.68, p < 0.0001). The good adherence subgroup showed a significantly lower mortality risk than that in the non-adherence subgroup (hazard ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.32–0.51, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were significantly higher in patients receiving anti-osteoporosis medication than in the untreated group. All-cause mortality rates were lower in patients with good adherence to anti-osteoporosis medication.