ESPE Abstracts

Background: Mean adherence (AD) rates in patients treated with recombinant human GH (r-hGH) using either the easypod™ or a non-electronic (NEL) device have recently been reported.

Objective and hypotheses: To evaluate AD rates of r-hGH treatment under everyday conditions and to calculate the amount of r-hGH administered using the easypod™ or a NEL device.

Method: Retrospective, observational, open-label, non-controlled study in patients receiving r-hGH, either by the easypod™ or a NEL device. For patients using a NEL device, AD was calculated from the ratio of provided vials to prescribed dose. The easypod™ device is an automated electronic injection device for r-hGH (Saizen^®) delivery that accurately records each dose and injection taken to evaluate AD.

Results: The mean AD rate was higher in the NEL device patients (n=348, mean age 11.2±6.2 years) than in the easypod™ patients (n=251, mean age 9.2±3.6 years): 95.6±19.6% vs 89.7±10.1%. Modified analysis according to the criteria of Cutfield et al. indicated that this was due to a higher proportion of over-adherent NEL patients (AD >110%; Table 1).

Conclusions: The calculated AD rate with NEL devices appears to be higher than the recorded AD rate with easypod. The over-adherence with NEL devices could be interpreted as increased wastage of r-hGH. Further analysis of how to detect mismanagement of prescribed r-hGH is needed.