Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma: Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. METHODS: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. RESULTS: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were ≤40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users' general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use.

Hypersensitivity Reactions to Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs among Adults: Clinical Features and Risk Factors for Diagnosis Confirmation.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are among the most common causes of drug hypersensitivity (HS) reactions. The diagnosis is based on a careful clinical history, and provocation tests are considered the gold standard for diagnosis. Skin tests have some value to study reactions to pyrazolones. Laboratory investigations are mostly used for research purposes. Different phenotypes have been described. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: Our aim was to describe the most common clinical manifestations of NSAID HS in a large population of adult patients, the drugs involved, the association with previously described risk factors, and the outcome of diagnostic procedures. The classification of reactions proposed by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Drug Allergy Interest Group was adopted. RESULTS: Acetylsalicylic acid was the drug most often involved in reactions (34%), isolated cutaneous symptoms were the most reported (60%), and immediate reactions (58%) were the most common. There was an overall female predominance (64%) and 35% of the patients were atopic. HS to NSAIDs was confirmed in 21% of the patients. The most common phenotypes encountered among HS patients were NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema and single-NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema or anaphylaxis. Logistic regression analysis showed that gender and atopy were not significant risk factors for HS confirmation, but diagnosis depended on the number of previous reactions, the type of reaction, and the time interval between drug intake and reaction. CONCLUSION: Only 21% of suspected HS reactions were confirmed after diagnostic workup. Patients describing >1 previous reaction and suffering immediate reactions had a higher probability of a positive investigation.

Monitoring Adherence to Asthma Inhalers Using the InspirerMundi App: Analysis of Real-World, Medium-Term Feasibility Studies.

Background: Poor medication adherence is a major challenge in asthma and objective assessment of inhaler adherence is needed. InspirerMundi app aims to monitor inhaler adherence while turning it into a positive experience through gamification and social support. Objective: We assessed the medium-term feasibility of the InspirerMundi app to monitor inhaler adherence in real-world patients with persistent asthma (treated with daily inhaled medication). In addition, we attempted to identify the characteristics of the patients related to higher app use. Methods: Two real-world multicenter observational studies, with one initial face-to-face visit and a 4-month telephone interview, were conducted in 29 secondary care centers from Portugal. During an initial face-to-face visit, patients were invited to use the app daily to register their asthma medication intakes. A scheduled intake was considered taken when patients took a photo of the medication (inhaler, blister, or others) using the image-based medication detection tool. Medication adherence was calculated as the number of doses taken as a percentage of the number scheduled. Interacting with the app ≥30 days was used as the cut-off for higher app use. Results: A total of 114 patients {median 20 [percentile 25 to percentile 75 (P25-P75) 16-36] years, 62% adults} were invited, 107 (94%) installed the app and 83 (73%) completed the 4-month interview. Patients interacted with the app for a median of 18 [3-45] days, translated on a median use rate of 15 [3-38]%. Median inhaler adherence assessed through the app was 34 [4-73]% when considering all scheduled inhalations for the study period. Inhaler adherence assessed was not significantly correlated with self-reported estimates. Median adherence for oral and other medication was 41 [6-83]% and 43 [3-73]%, respectively. Patients with higher app use were slightly older (p = 0.012), more frequently taking medication for other health conditions (p = 0.040), and more frequently prescribed long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA, p = 0.024). After 4 months, Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) scores improved (p < 0.001), but no differences between patients interacting with the app for 30 days or less were seen. Conclusions: The InspirerMundi app was feasible to monitor inhaler adherence in patients with persistent asthma. The persistent use of this mHealth technology varies widely. A better understanding of characteristics related to higher app use is still needed before effectiveness studies are undertaken.

Anaphylaxis to Agaricus bisporus ingestion.

A 33-year-old male with house dust mite allergic rhinitis and asthma reported an episode of facial and lip angioedema, dyspnea, cough and dysphagia at the age of 25, minutes after eating a mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus ) pizza. He denied any drug intake, hymenoptera stings or other possible triggers, and no identifiable cofactors were present. Since then he avoided all types of mushrooms, however an accidental contact occurred with mushroom sauce that resulted in angioedema of the lip within minutes. The allergy workup included measurements of total IgE and specific IgE to mushroom, and skin prick test to aeroallergens sources, possible food allergen sources and mushroom extract, a prick to prick test with raw and cooked A. bisporus , in addition to a SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting assay. The study revealed a specific IgE to mushroom of 0.76kUA/L positive skin prick test to mushroom extract, and prick to prick test positive to white and brown A. bisporus (raw and cooked). The immunoblotting identified two IgE binding proteins with 10kDa and 27kDa. We report a case of A. bisporus anaphylaxis probably due to primary mushroom sensitization. We detected two IgE-reactive proteins with 10kDa and 27kDa as possible culprit allergens.

Anaphylaxis to Agaricus bisporus ingestion / Anafilaxia por ingestão de Agaricus bisporus

ABSTRACT A 33-year-old male with house dust mite allergic rhinitis and asthma reported an episode of facial and lip angioedema, dyspnea, cough and dysphagia at the age of 25, minutes after eating a mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus ) pizza. He denied any drug intake, hymenoptera stings or other possible triggers, and no identifiable cofactors were present. Since then he avoided all types of mushrooms, however an accidental contact occurred with mushroom sauce that resulted in angioedema of the lip within minutes. The allergy workup included measurements of total IgE and specific IgE to mushroom, and skin prick test to aeroallergens sources, possible food allergen sources and mushroom extract, a prick to prick test with raw and cooked A. bisporus , in addition to a SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting assay. The study revealed a specific IgE to mushroom of 0.76kUA/L positive skin prick test to mushroom extract, and prick to prick test positive to white and brown A. bisporus (raw and cooked). The immunoblotting identified two IgE binding proteins with 10kDa and 27kDa. We report a case of A. bisporus anaphylaxis probably due to primary mushroom sensitization. We detected two IgE-reactive proteins with 10kDa and 27kDa as possible culprit allergens.

RESUMO Paciente do sexo masculino, 33 anos, com asma e rinite alérgica desencadeadas por ácaros, relatou episódio de angioedema facial e labial, dispneia, tosse e disfagia aos 25 anos, minutos após a ingestão de uma pizza de cogumelo ( Agaricus bisporus ). O paciente negou consumo de medicamentos, picadas de himenópteros, ou quaisquer outros possíveis desencadeadores ou cofatores que pudessem estar presentes. Desde então, evita todos os tipos de cogumelos, até a ocorrência de um contato acidental com molho de cogumelo, que resultou em angioedema labial minutos após. O estudo imunoalergológico incluiu doseamento de IgE total e específica para cogumelos, testes cutâneos para aeroalérgenos, possíveis alérgenos alimentares e extrato de cogumelos, teste prick to prick com A. bisporus cru e cozido e teste de SDS-PAGE immunoblotting . O estudo revelou IgE específica para cogumelos de 0,76kUA/L, teste cutâneo positivo para extrato de cogumelos e teste prick to prick positivo para A. bisporus branco e castanho (cru e cozido). O immunoblotting identificou duas proteínas de ligação de IgE, de 10kDa e 27kDa. Relatamos, assim, um caso de anafilaxia por ingestão de A. bisporus , provavelmente explicado por sensibilização primária a cogumelos. Detectamos duas proteínas IgE-reativas de 10kDa e 27kDa como os possíveis alérgenos responsáveis.