Abstract
Background
Poor adherence to disease-modifying drugs is associated with an increased risk of relapse in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, adherence is difficult to assess objectively. RebiSmart® (Merck Serono SA, Geneva, Switzerland), a device for subcutaneous (sc) injection of interferon (IFN) β-1a, features an electronic injection log that can assist in objective monitoring of adherence.
Objective
To assess adherence to sc IFN β-1a injections using data from RebiSmart®.
Methods
This was a single-group, observational, retrospective audit. Adherence data were collected from patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom and Ireland who had been prescribed sc IFN β-1a and had been using RebiSmart® for a minimum of 24 months.
Results
In total, 225 patients were included in the full analysis set; 72% were in the United Kingdom, and 28% were in Ireland. Overall, the mean age was 44.1 years, and 73% were women. Patients received sc IFN β-1a 44 µg (68%) or 22 µg (32%) three times per week. Mean adherence over the course of 24 months was 95.0% (median, 99.4%), and similar values were observed across all periods. The proportion of patients with 80% or higher adherence was 92.0% at 12 months and 91.1% at 24 months.
Conclusion
High adherence to sc IFN β-1a was observed across all patient groups using RebiSmart®, according to 2-year treatment adherence data. This may be partly attributed to the expert support patients received, supplemented by routine and regular contact from the MySupport patient-support program, as well as the self-motivation of patients who persisted with treatment for 2 or more years.
Acknowledgments
This audit was supported by Merck Serono Ltd, UK, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Bupa Home Healthcare. The authors thank Quanticate Ltd for data management and analysis and Lisa Tatler and Dominic Jack of Caudex Medical, Oxford, United Kingdom (supported by Merck Serono SA, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), for assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.
Disclosure
Anne Marie Larkin was an employee of Quintiles Ireland Ltd, providing MySupport Nurse support on behalf of Merck Serono in Ireland, at the time of the audit and preparation of the manuscript. Laura Parkes was an employee of Merck Serono Ltd, United Kingdom, at the time of the audit and preparation of the manuscript. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.