Adherence to preventive medications in asthmatic children at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Malaysia

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of study sample (n=218)

Characteristics (n=218)	Findings
	Frequency, n (%)	Mean ± SD
Age (years)		8.05±3.93
1–6	84 (38.5)
7–12	100 (45.9)
13–18	34 (15.6)
Sex
Male	128 (58.7)
Female	90 (41.3)
Ethnicity
Malay	182 (83.5)
Chinese	19 (8.7)
Indian	13 (6.0)
Others	4 (1.8)
Comorbidities
Presence of comorbidity
Yes	159 (72.9)
No	59 (27.1)
Total number	251	1.17±1.00
Allergy rhinitis	74 (29.5)	per patient
Eczema	46 (18.3)
Obesity	22 (8.8)
Allergy	5 (2.0)
Acute bronchitis	4 (1.6)
Pneumonia	2 (<1)
Others	98 (39.0)
Family background of asthma
Yes	147 (67.4)
No	63 (28.9)
Adopted	8 (3.7)
Duration of asthma diagnosis (years)
1–6	112 (51.4)	5.02±2.90
7–12	91 (41.7)
13–18	15 (6.9)
Preventive medications refilled
Total number	294	1.30±0.46
Type of preventive medications
Budesonide (Pulmicort^®)	127 (44.3)
Montelukast (Singulair^®)	64 (22.3)
Ciclesonide (Alvesco^®)	31 (10.8)
Fluticasone + salmeterol (Seretide^® 25/125)	31 (10.8)
Budesonide (Giona^® Easyhaler)	24 (8.4)
Beclomethasone (Becotide^® Evohaler)	4 (1.4)
Beclomethasone (Beclomet Easyhaler^®)	4 (1.4)
Others	2 (<1)

Notes: Budesonide (Pulmicort^® [AstraZeneca, London, UK], Giona^® Easyhaler [Orion Corp, Espoo, Finland]), beclomethasone dipropionate (Becotide^® Evohaler [GlaxoSmithKline, Inc, Brentford, UK], Beclomet Easyhaler^® [Orion Corp]), ciclesonide (Alvesco^® [Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland]), montelukast (Singulair^® [Merck and Co, Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA]), fluticasone + salmeterol (Seretide^® [GlaxoSmithKline, Inc]).

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Association of two pharmacy refill measures (MPR and CMG)

Total (n=218)	MPR		McNemar’s test of χ^2 2-tailed test P-value	Measure of agreement κ
	Nonadherence (<80%)	Adherence (≥80%)
CMG
Persistent ≤20%	60 (27.5%)	0 (0%)	<0.001*	0.397
Nonpersistent >20%	75 (34.4%)	83 (38.1%)

Notes: The values are presented as patient mean (percentage).

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: CMG, continuous measure of gaps; MPR, medication possession ratio.

Table 3 Factors in the logistic regression analysis models that are independently linked to adherence

Parameter	Log odds (B)	SE	2-tailed test P-value	OR	95% CI
					Lower	Upper
Presence of comorbidities
Yes	2.786	0.376	<0.001*	16.209	7.763	33.844
No
(Reference category: No comorbidities)

Notes: Dependent variable coding: MPR <80% (nonadherence) =0; MPR ≥80% (adherence) =1.

* P<0.05; B - regression coefficient.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; MPR, medication possession ratio; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error.

Table 4 Factors in the logistic regression analysis models that are independently linked to nonpersistence

Parameter	Log odds (B)	SE	2-tailed test P-value	OR	95% CI
					Lower	Upper
Presence of comorbidities
Yes	0.968	1.520	<0.001*	2.633	0.134	52.79
No
(Reference category: No comorbidities)

Notes: Dependent variable coding: CMG ≤20% (persistence) =0; CMG >20% (nonpersistence) =1.

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; CMG, continuous measure of gaps; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error.