title: Educational session as a tool to increase patient satisfaction of switching etanercept from the prefilled syringe to the autoinjection pen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess patients' acceptability of switching etanercept from the prefilled syringe to the autoinjection pen in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-phase cross-sectional study was designed. First phase: consisted of a 2 h information/education session to present the pen and learning its use. At the end of the session, patients completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding the meeting usefulness. Second phase: eight single-use prefilled Enbrel® Pen Myclic were provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of patients included were 104 (rheumatoid arthritis 58, psoriatic arthritis 31, ankylosing spondylitis 15). Attendees showed a high satisfaction degree with the meeting. A high percentage of patients (74.4 - 95.1%) rated the items of the questionnaire as 'very much'. Patients reported > 95% adherence to etanercept autoinjection pen. The percentage of patients self-administering etanercept increased from 66 to 94% and the percentage of those attending primary care for injection decreased from 23 to 2%. It produced important cost savings, in our study represents > 22.000 euros/year. Pain at the injection site was significantly reduced with the use of autoinjection pen. Ninty seven (93%) patients considered that the use of the autoinjection pen was easier than the syringe and 94.2% chose the pen as their preferred delivery system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The autoinjection pen is an advantageous delivery option for etanercept. This study provides further evidence to support that the education strategy is a valid method for switching anti-TNF-α drugs from syringe to pen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Sagunto, Pharmacy Department, Avda Ramon y Cajal s/n, Sagunto, E-46520, Spain. jborrasb@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borrás-Blasco
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gracia-Pérez
authors.forename: M Dolores-Elvira
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Casterá
authors.forename: J Dolores
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rosique-Robles
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abad
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D057915:Drug Substitution; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012646:Self Administration / Q000295:instrumentation; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013594:Syringes
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept