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Abstract
Background:
Patient satisfaction with the prescribed treatments represents a crucial issue that may have clinical relevance as it may significantly affect treatment compliance. We designed an observational study to evaluate the satisfaction level concerning different pharmacological treatments for allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma in a real-life setting.
Methods:
The study was conducted in 21 allergy centres homogeneously distributed in Italy. Three hundred and one patients (46.8% males; 53.2% females; mean [SD] age, 33.1 [13.8] years) with AR and/or asthma were consecutively evaluated. Diagnosis, classification, symptom severity, and satisfaction degree (assessed by a questionnaire) were the parameters considered.
Results:
Only 33.5% of the AR patients were satisfied with the rhinitis treatments. Only 40.7% of the asthmatic patients were satisfied with the asthma treatments. Some factors associated with treatment dissatisfaction are as follows: female gender (odds ratio [OR] 2.36; p < 0.01), co-morbidity (OR 2.39; p < 0.05), rhinitis severity (OR 1.39; p < 0.05), asthma severity (OR 2.04; p < 0.05), and antihistamine use (OR 2.53); however, the use of bronchodilators had a favourable impact (OR 0.28; p < 0.05). The relatively low number of subjects prevented performing stratification of patients by treatment classes.
Conclusion:
The findings of this real-life study strengthen the concept that AR is particularly troublesome and that most allergic patients suffering from both rhinitis and asthma are dissatisfied with prescribed drugs.
Transparency
Declaration of funding
Stallergenes Italia partially sponsored the present study.
Declaration of financial/other relationships
S.Sc., S.So., P.P., and F.F. have disclosed that they are employees of Stallergenes Italia. G.C. and C.I. have disclosed that they act as scientific and editorial consultants for Stallergenes. CMRO peer reviewers may have received honoraria for their review work. The peer reviewers on this manuscript have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships.
Acknowledgements
No assistance in the preparation of this article is to be declared. The authors would like to acknowledge the members of the SAT Study Group: Renato E. Rossi, Valerio Pravettoni, Pietro Marsico, Enrico Iemoli, Angela Maltagliati, Francesca Crosti, Fulvia Bianchi Chieco, Francesca Spina, Giuseppe Di Franco, Elisabetta Favero, Marcella Pozzan, Andrea Fanti, Gabriele Cortellini, Arrigo Boccafogli, Oliviero Rossi, Domenico Schiavino, Mario Di Gioacchino, Enrico Cavallucci, Francesco Castellano, Eustachio Nettis, Giuseppe Cinquepalmi.
