Adherence to inhaled therapy for asthma tied to favourable patient-reported outcomes

In adult patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, better adherence to inhaled therapy is linked to improved disease control and quality of life, according to a study.

Researchers used data from the Mild-Moderate Asthma Network of Italy (MANI) database. They identified 832 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of asthma according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) criteria.

Medication adherence was assessed using the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI) questionnaire. Based on the TAI score, patients were grouped as follows: adherents (score ≥50), intermediate adherents (score 46–49), and nonadherents (score <46).

Patient-reported outcomes included the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), and TAI adherence categories.

Compared with patients in the intermediate adherent and nonadherent groups, those in the adherent group were older (p<0.001) and less likely to be currently smoking (11 percent vs 16 percent). The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was higher among nonadherent patients vs adherent and intermediate adherent patients (5.3 percent vs 0.8 percent and 1.8 percent; p=0.014), as was the prevalence of anxiety (10.7 percent vs 7.1 percent and 3.8 percent; p=0.003).

Higher medication adherence levels were associated with better asthma control (p<0.001) and quality of life (p<0.001).

The findings underscore the potential of routine assessment of adherence and targeted interventions addressing modifiable barriers to improve outcomes in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma.