PILOTING A NOVEL DEVICE FOR MONITORING MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN URBAN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

Introduction Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. If poorly controlled can considerably lower the quality of life. Medication non-adherence is a major reason for asthma exacerbation. Recent mobile health technology interventions are valid tools that can improve care. We aimed to assess the efficacy of an innovative tracking system for asthma management in children. Methods 26 Patients between the ages of 6 and 17 with a diagnosis of asthma were enrolled for a period of 12 weeks. participants received an electronic monitoring device paired with an app to support adherence to controller inhaler. There were 2 phone call follow-ups at 4 and 8 weeks and a final visit at 12 weeks. Outcomes measured were changes in Asthma Control Test (ACT) score, caregiver satisfaction and medication adherence. Results Our participants were 62% male and 38% female with a mean age of 9.1. Based on ACT scores, 48% of participants with uncontrolled asthma at baseline became controlled at final visit. This improvement was observed at 4 weeks follow up and remained improved until the end of the study. Non-adherence score increased from 1.1 at baseline to 1.9 at final visit (p-value of 0.10). 57% of participants reported no use of rescue medication at final visit vs 36% at baseline. 87% of caregivers reported they will recommend this device to friends. 78% found the device as an effective tool for asthma management. Conclusions This pilot study suggests that the use of an electronic monitoring device may have positive effects on asthma control in children.