Adherence and usage patterns of inhaled corticosteroids-long-acting beta-agonists by using inhaler-monitoring technology.

Results of previous research indicate that adherence to prescribed inhaled corticosteroid-long-acting beta2-agonist (ICS-LABA) asthma controller medications is suboptimal, yet actual daily-use patterns are unclear and may be influenced by regimen complexity or dosing frequency. To investigate real-world use of asthma medications by using inhaler sensors for the ICS-LABA controllers: twice-daily fluticasone propionate (FP) plus salmeterol (SAL) and once-daily fluticasone furoate (FF) plus vilanterol (VI); and albuterol rescue medication. This longitudinal, two-phase, observational study included adults with asthma-prescribed FP-SAL (phase I) or FF-VI (phase II), and albuterol metered-dose inhalers.

Assessment of the COPD Assessment Test Within U.S. Primary Care.

Rationale: Uptake of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is not yet widespread in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) within U.S. primary care and its alignment with other assessments has not been evaluated in U.

Observational vignette study to examine patient and healthcare provider perceived impact of asthma-related exacerbations in the US.

Background: Little is known about how patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) perceive the impact of asthma-related exacerbations. This study examined the impact of asthma-related exacerbations on patients' lives from these different perspectives.

Methods: Web-based surveys were administered to a US sample of adult patients with asthma, and HCPs.

Cross-sectional survey study to examine underuse of twice daily inhaled maintenance therapy among patients with asthma.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that some patients with asthma intentionally use their twice-daily (BID) inhaled controller therapy once daily (QD), thus not achieving optimal dosing levels. This study identified the prevalence of and factors associated with intentional QD use of BID-indicated controllers among adult patients with asthma. This was a cross-sectional survey study of adults using inhaled controllers intended for BID dosing for treatment of asthma and/or COPD.

Shared decision-making for biologic treatment of autoimmune disease: influence on adherence, persistence, satisfaction, and health care costs.

Background: Shared decision-making (SDM), a process whereby physicians and patients collaborate to select interventions, is not well understood for biologic treatment of autoimmune conditions.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of adults initiating treatment for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease, IBD) or psoriatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA/PA). Survey data were linked to administrative claims for 6 months before (baseline) and after (follow-up) therapy initiation.

Quality of life of HIV-infected patients who switch antiretroviral medication due to side effects or other reasons.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among HIV patients following switch from a first- to second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen.

Research Design And Methods: This was an observational study of adult HIV patients in the US at 35 academic and community health centers. Patients were required to be switching an antiretroviral regimen for the first time at the enrollment visit.

Application of the new GOLD COPD staging system to a US primary care cohort, with comparison to physician and patient impressions of severity.

Background: In 2011, the traditional Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) COPD spirometry-based severity classification system was revised to also include exacerbation history and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) scores. This study examined how COPD patients treated in primary care are reclassified by the new GOLD system compared to the traditional system, and each system's level of agreement with patient's or physician's severity assessments.

Methods: In this US multicenter cross-sectional study, COPD patients were recruited by 83 primary care practitioners (PCPs) to complete spirometry testing and a survey.

A clinical study of COPD severity assessment by primary care physicians and their patients compared with spirometry.

Purpose: Primary care physicians often do not use spirometry to confirm the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This project was designed to see how well physicians' impressions about their patients' chronic obstructive pulmonary disease severity correlate with the severity of airflow obstruction measured by spirometry and to assess whether spirometry results subsequently changed the physicians' opinions about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease severity and treatment.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study conducted in 83 primary care clinics from across the United States.

Discrete choice experiment to estimate breast cancer patients' preferences and willingness to pay for prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factors.

Objectives: Rising out-of-pocket costs for cancer patients have increased shared decision making. Clinical guidelines recommend prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for patients receiving chemotherapy with a 20% or greater risk of febrile neutropenia. A discrete choice experiment was conducted to explore breast cancer patients' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for prophylactic G-CSF to decrease the risk of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia.

Real-world treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia with gabapentin or pregabalin.

Background And Objectives: There are limited data examining the real-world use of gabapentin and pregabalin for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). This study examines dosing patterns, therapy outcomes, healthcare utilization and costs of patients with PHN who initiate treatment with gabapentin or pregabalin.

Methods: This was a retrospective administrative claims data analysis from July 2005 to February 2010.

Factors related to immunosuppressant medication adherence in renal transplant recipients.

Non-adherence to immunosuppressant medications (ISM) is a significant issue for transplant recipients. This study examines factors influencing ISM adherence in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Patient-reported data were collected through a cross-sectional survey including use of ISMs, adherence behaviors, perceived adherence barriers, beliefs and attitudes toward ISMs, and patient life satisfaction.