Patient Self-Monitoring With Remote Feedback Maintains Asthma Treatment Adherence

Patients with asthma who used an electronic medication monitor, along with clinician feedback via a smartphone app or telephone call, maintained high treatment adherence rates, according to the results of a recent study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

In the current trial (The Use of the Propeller Health Platform to Improve Inhaled Corticosteroid Use Among Adults With Uncontrolled Persistent Asthma; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03860519), researchers divided adults with uncontrolled asthma prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) into 2 groups. Each group had an electronic medication monitor to track adherence. One group received adherence feedback from a smartphone app and telephone call, while the other received no feedback. Adherence to inhaled corticosteroids treatment and use of short-acting beta₂-agonists (SABA) were compared between groups.

Of the 100 study participants with uncontrolled asthma, the average age was 48.5 years and 80% were women. The percentage of SABA-free days increased significantly in the treatment group (19%; P <.01), but not in the control group (6%; P =.18). Furthermore, ICS adherence changed minimally in the treatment group (-2%; P =.40), but decreased significantly in the control group (-17%; P <.01).

“Patient self-monitoring via an [electronic medication monitor] and smartphone app plus remote clinician feedback on ICS and SABA use helped maintain baseline ICS adherence, and decreased SABA usage in adult patients with uncontrolled asthma,” the researchers wrote. “As poor adherence to ICS and overreliance on SABA demonstrate significant morbidity, mortality and cost, this is a novel approach to these challenges.”

Disclosure: Several study authors declared affiliations with the pharmaceutical industry. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors’ disclosures.

Reference

Mosnaim GS, Stempel DA, Gonzalez C, et al. The impact of patient self-monitoring via electronic medication monitor and mobile app plus remote clinician feedback on adherence to inhaled corticosteroids: a randomized controlled trial. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. Published online November 16, 2020. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.10.064