Management of Patients with Severe asthma and with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps. Patients and Doctors’ Perceptions about treatment, long term adherence and Quality of Life (QoL)

Abstract

Management of Patients with Severe asthma and with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps. Patients and Doctors’ Perceptions about treatment, long term adherence and Quality of Life (QoL)

Loukidis Stelios1, Constantinidis Jannis2, Makris Michael3, Glynos Constantinos4, Pastra Maria5, Stamatopoulou Vasiliki4, Yfantopoulos John6

1. Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
2. 1st Academic ENT Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
3. Allergy Unit, 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital "Attikon", Athens, Greece.
4. GSK Medical Department, Athens, Greece.
5. GSK Gov Affairs and Market Access, Athens, Greece.
6. IPOKE Research Institute, MBA National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Background
Adherence to treatment is directly associated with improved clinical outcomes, higher health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and lower health costs across many chronic diseases of upper and lower airways. Several studies across Europe have indicated that early diagnosis, adherence to prescriptions and successful treatments have contributed to the increase in European citizens’ life expectancy and quality of life. This study aims to examine a) the patients’ and doctors’ perceptions of long-term adherence to innovative treatments in relation to severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and b) the beliefs and attitudes of doctors and patients concerning treatment-related factors contributing to patients’ quality of life. This study is highly significant for Greece’s healthcare system and patients because it directly addresses the critical challenges of managing severe asthma (SA) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), especially with the introduction of innovative treatments such as biological therapies. Its significance stems from the need to optimize treatment outcomes, manage healthcare costs, and improve patient quality of life in the above chronic conditions.

Methods: In a multi-center, cross-sectional, non-interventional study, doctors and outpatients with the above diseases will be recruited using a consecutive sampling method in Greece. The study design is based on structured questionnaires addressed to doctors and their patients to investigate the degree of convergence or divergence in their attitudes towards treatment management and its impact on adherence and quality of life. Information will be collected on: i) sociodemographic, ii) disease history (e.g. year of diagnosis, year of symptoms’ onset, type of disease, most relevant comorbidities), iii) treatment pattern related information, iv) resource utilization (inpatient and outpatient care, diagnostic and laboratory tests, medication, early retirement information and home help care), v) drug adherence behavior with dedicated questions on innovative treatments, vi) patient-doctor communication parameters and vii) self-assessed Quality of life questionnaires (HRQoL) (SAQ, Severe Asthma Questionnaire, NOSE, SNOT22 and EQ-5D-5L).

Conclusions: The findings and the conclusions of this study are intended for the use of doctors, policy makers and healthcare managers seeking to improve better communication between doctors and patients as well as the performance, the clinical effectiveness and the economic efficiency of the Greek Health System.

Author Conflicts of Interest:

SL has received speaker fees from Astra Zeneca, GSK, Menarini, Chiesi, Elpen, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Guidotti, MSD

JC has received speaker fee from GSK

MM has received speaker fees from Astra Zeneca, GSK, Sanofi Aventis, CSL Behring, Menarini Hellas, SWIXX Biopharma, ELPEN, Thermo Fisher

CG, VS and MP are employees of GSK

JY has received funding for his institution and speaker fee from GSK

Funding

This study has been funded by GSK.

References

Indicative publications on Adherence and Quality of Life

1. Determinants of medication adherence in patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia A.  Chantzaras, J. Yfantopoulos HORMONES, January 2025, Springer Science + Business Media
2. Association between medication adherence and health-related quality of life of patients with hypertension and dyslipidaemia A. Chantzaras, J. Yfantopoulos HORMONES, July 2023, Springer Science + Business Media DOI: 10.1007/s42000-023-00471-5
3. Association between medication adherence and health-related quality of life of patients with diabetes A. Chantzaras, J. Yfantopoulos HORMONES, October 2022, Springer Science + Business Media DOI: 10.1007/s42000-022-00400-y
4. Greek cardiologists’ interventions to manage patients’ adherence. J. Yfantopoulos, M. Protopapa, A. Chantzaras, G. Stavropoulos, P. Yfantopoulos, K. Tsioufis Hellenic Journal of Cardiology, November 2021, Elsevier DOI: 10.1016/j.hjc.2021.01.006
5. Doctors’ views and strategies to improve patients’ adherence to medication J. Yfantopoulos, M. Protopapa, A. Chantzaras, P. Yfantopoulos HORMONES, April 2021, Springer Science + Business Media DOI: 10.1007/s42000-021-00294-2
6. Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients with Rheumatoid Diseases towards Biosimilars. A Chantzaras, J Yfantopoulos, K Koutsogianni Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology 35 (4), 608-616
7. Patients’ and doctors’ beliefs about treatment and long-term adherence in rheumatic diseases J Yfantopoulos, M Protopapa, K Mantalias, A Chantzaras, K Koutsogianni,. Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology 31 (2 1), 152-162
8. Health-related quality of life and health utilities in insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: the impact of related comorbidities/complications John Yfantopoulos, Athanasios Chantzaras. The European Journal of Health Economics, March 2020, Springer Science + Business Media DOI: 10.1007/s10198-020-01167-y
9. Awaiting the “catharsis” John Yfantopoulos.  The European Journal of Health Economics, May 2020, Springer Science + Business Media DOI: 10.1007/s10198-020-01193-w
10. Validation and comparison of the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L instruments in Greece JN Yfantopoulos, AE Chantzaras The European Journal of Health Economics 18, 519-531