Treatment persistence and compliance with medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
OBJECTIVE
Inhaled beta-agonist, anticholinergic and glucocorticoid medications are used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study assessed the patterns of persistence with the above mentioned inhaled medications.


METHODS
Prescription claims data from the Ontario Drug Benefit Program were analyzed to assess persistence (time to discontinuation) and compliance (percentage of days with doses available divided by days to last refill) of patients prescribed inhaled medications. Patients were grouped as naive (no inhaled medication in the previous year) or experienced (previous or current treatment), and by age (18 to 65 years of age and older than 65 years of age). Medications included ipratropium, ipratropium plus salbutamol, formoterol, formoterol plus budesonide, salmeterol, salmeterol plus fluticasone, and tiotropium.


RESULTS
The database included 31,368 patients (4888 naive and 26,480 experienced) who were prescribed at least one of these medications. Fifteen per cent to 63% of patients continued on the index drug for more than six months, which decreased to 7% to 53% at 12 months, and 5% to 47% at 18 months. At 12 months, patients taking tiotropium had significantly longer persistence compared with other therapies (53% versus 7% to 30%; all P<0.0001), and fewer switches to alternative medications. Most naive patients had significantly shorter treatment persistence than experienced patients for all drugs (all P<0.0001), including tiotropium (27% versus 55%, P<0.0001). Compliance rates were similar for all drugs (ie, 76% to 94%) but were highest for tiotropium.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrated that persistence with inhaled treatment was low overall, but patients treated with tiotropium remained on therapy significantly longer than when treated with other medications, and patients naive to inhaled treatment had shorter treatment persistence than experienced patients.
Cramer
Joyce A
JA
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06516-2770, USA. joyce.cramer@yale.edu
Bradley-Kennedy
Carole
C
Scalera
Alissa
A
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009241:Ipratropium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; D019819:Budesonide; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D009241:Ipratropium; D000420:Albuterol; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide