Abstract
Background: allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic airways inflammatory condition which can have a large impact on patients' health and quality of life. Adherence with prescribed treatment is essential for the effective management of AR.
Aim: to evaluate the long term impact of adherence on AR management in the Italian ARGA prospective study. Methods: 107 general practitioners (GP) enrolled 913 patients affected by AR (mean age 39yrs). For each patient, a self-administered questionnaire and the relative form filled in by GP on respiratory allergic diseases/symptoms, anti-rhinitis medicines prescriptions/consumption and clinical related factors were available at baseline and follow up 12 months apart. Adherence to treatment was evaluated comparing GP prescriptions for AR and medicines consumption reported by the patients.
Results: baseline prevalence rate of adherence was 57.1%. Comparing baseline with follow up rhinitis outcomes in relation to baseline adherence, an improvement was shown for: AR control from 65.0 to 71.1%, persistent severity levels from 33.2 to 31.5%, AR symptoms in the last 12 months from 95.6 to 88.8%, daily activity limitations from 21.9 to 20.7%, Emergency Room/hospital admissions from 2.1 to 1.4%, quality of life score from 18 to 17.
Conclusions: our findings show improved longitudinal AR outcomes in patients adherent to therapy; considering this aspect at each visit is advisable in order to make GP able to identify unsuitable adherence in patients who could benefit from close follow-up.
This work was supported by the “Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA)”, within the independent drug research program, contract no. “FARM5JYS5A”.
- © 2014 ERS