OBJECTIVES:

This paper examines the impact of therapy adherence on rate of hospitalization, exacerbation and oral corticosteroid-sparing effect in severe asthma patients receiving a biologic for more than 12 months.

METHODS:

Results are from the Ipsos Healthcare Severe Asthma Therapy Monitor, an online study conducted among physicians treating severe asthma patients. The Q2 2019 US wave of this study captured data from 53 pulmonologists and 53 allergists, providing demographic and treatment records on 685 severe asthma patients.

RESULTS:

Among 156 patients who have been receiving a biologic treatment for more than 12 months, 80% (n=124) were deemed by their physician as ≥90 adherent to their biologic therapy and 20% (n=31) were perceived as less adherent.

Hospitalization rates were significantly lower among patients who were ≥90% adherent vs patients who were <90% adherent (17% vs 39%, p<0.01). Among patients who had been hospitalized in the last year, both groups of patients spent a similar average number of days in hospital (4.6 days for ≥90% adherent patients vs 4.9 days for <90% adherent patients).

Patients who were <90% adherent to their biologic therapy were more likely to experience 2 or more exacerbations (52% vs 29%, p<0.05) and receive oral corticosteroid (84% vs 71%). On average, patients who were <90% adherent experienced 2.4 exacerbations and received 31.6 days of oral corticosteroid compared to 1.3 exacerbations and 10.5 days of oral corticosteroid among patients who were ≥90% adherent.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study suggests there is a positive impact of severe asthma patients’ perceived adherence to their biologic therapy on hospitalization rate, exacerbation and oral corticosteroid-sparing effect, though further scrutiny is warranted.