A non-interventional switch study in adult patients with asthma or COPD on clinical effectiveness of salmeterol/fluticasone Easyhaler® in routine clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Selection of the most appropriate device for a switch from one inhaler to an equivalent product is known to have a major impact on clinical outcomes in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Salmeterol/fluticasone propionate (S/F) Easyhaler® has been demonstrated to be therapeutically equivalent with a reference product. However, no data on real-life effectiveness are currently available for patients switching to S/F Easyhaler from another S/F inhaler. METHODS: The aim of this prospective, open, multicenter, non-interventional study was to assess clinical effectiveness of propionate S/F Easyhaler in adult asthma and COPD patients switched from another inhaler. The primary endpoints were Asthma Control Test (ACT) and COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Secondary endpoints included assessments of patient satisfaction and preference and physician/nurse perception on S/F Easyhaler use. The study included three visits during a 12-week follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 211 patients (160 with asthma; 51 with COPD) were included in the analyses. In patients with asthma, there was a statistically significant increase in the mean ACT score at week 12 (20.2 ± 3.9) compared with the baseline (18.6 ± 4.1), with a mean increase of 1.6 (±3.5) points (p < 0.0001). In patients with COPD, CAT score persisted from baseline (19.9 ± 8.6) to week 12 (19.6 ± 7.0). Patients were significantly more satisfied with Easyhaler and most patients preferred Easyhaler over their previous inhaler. The physicians/nurses reported that it was 'very easy' to teach the use of Easyhaler and the training took less than 5 minutes in most cases. CONCLUSION: The results from this prospective real-life clinical study indicate better or at least similar treatment control of asthma and COPD after switching to S/F Easyhaler from another S/F inhaler. This study also shows that S/F Easyhaler was favored by the patients and that it is easy to teach, learn and use in a real-life setting.The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

Correction to: A Multicenter, Observational, Prospective Study of the Effectiveness of Switching from Budesonide/Formoterol Turbuhaler® to Budesonide/Formoterol Easyhaler®.

Unfortunately, the mean difference in change from baseline ACT was incorrectly reported in the abstract as 19.0 vs. 20.8 instead of 18.9 vs. 20.7.

A Multicenter, Observational, Prospective Study of the Effectiveness of Switching from Budesonide/Formoterol Turbuhaler® to Budesonide/Formoterol Easyhaler®.

INTRODUCTION: In real-life practice, asthma remains poorly controlled, with a considerable burden on patients' quality of life. Budesonide/formoterol (B/F) Easyhaler® has demonstrated similar dose consistency, therapeutic equivalence, and equivalent bronchodilator efficacy to B/F Turbuhaler®, but no real-life comparisons are yet available in patients switching from B/F Turbuhaler® to B/F Easyhaler®. METHODS: The primary objective of this real-life, non-interventional, observational study was to show non-inferiority of asthma control when adult patients in Swedish primary care with persistent asthma switched from B/F Turbuhaler® to B/F Easyhaler®. At visit 1, baseline demographic and endpoint data were recorded, and eligible patients switched to B/F Easyhaler®. The study comprised a control visit (visit 2) and a concluding examination (visit 3) after 12 weeks. Asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). The mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) and lung function test were performed, and participants and investigators answered questionnaires about ease-of-use and teaching. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients were enrolled in the on-treatment population; 81 (64.8%) were female. At visit 3, B/F Easyhaler® demonstrated non-inferiority to B/F Turbuhaler®; the mean difference in change from baseline ACT was statistically significant (18.9 vs. 20.7, respectively; p < 0.0001) and met the non-inferiority criteria of B/F Easyhaler® being greater than - 1.5 points versus the reference product. Asthma was well controlled in 62 (53.0%) patients at baseline, increasing to 83 patients (70.9%) at visit 3. Patients experienced statistically significant improvements in mini-AQLQ score after B/F Easyhaler® treatment and lung function remained stable across the treatment period. B/F Easyhaler® was easy to learn and prepare for use. CONCLUSION: This real-life, non-interventional, non-inferiority study in adults with persist asthma demonstrates equivalent or better disease control when patients switch from B/F Turbuhaler® to B/F Easyhaler®. A further study with direct comparison between treatments could add to the understanding of inhaler switch. FUNDING: Orion Corporation, Orion Pharma.