Blasi F, et al. - In a real-world setting using the Italian Treatment Adherence CF Questionnaire (ITA-CFq), researchers estimated the compliance to TOBI Podhaler (TIP) treatment in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infections. In CF patients with chronic Pa-infection, TIP was convenient to use and led to improved treatment adherence.

Methods

• Two follow-up (FU) visits: FU-1 at 3-months±15-days from the baseline visit and FU-2 at the end of third TIP cycle (or 6-months after enrolment, whichever occurred first) were included in this longitudinal, multicentre, cohort study.
• Experts analyzed the impact of TIP on quality-of-life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction using Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) and Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM), respectively.
• They assessed the overall compliance to treatments using ITA-CFq.

Results

• As per the findings, 82 patients (mean age, 24.8 ± 7.9 years), including 22 paediatric patients (age, <18 years), were enrolled in the study; 56 (68.3%) patients, including 17 paediatric patients, completed the study.
• Results suggested the mean compliance score to aerosol antibiotic treatment at baseline to be 7.8 ± 3.2; upon introducing TIP, the compliance score improved to 9.4 ± 1.2 at the FU-1 and thereafter remained stable at 9.5 ± 1.2.
• Following TIP initiation, TSQM was higher for the convenience domain (74.2 ± 17.1 at enrolment and slightly improved to 77.8 ± 15.9 at FU-2).
• Authors did not note any substantial effect of TIP on the QoL when measured using the revised CFQ-R.
• They found the safety profile to be in line with previous findings.