ESPE Abstracts

Objective: The Easypod Connect Observational Study (ECOS) is a prospective long-term observational study aimed at evaluating the level of adherence in patients receiving growth hormone via the easypod device. ECOS started in 2010 in 24 countries. The easypod auto-injector device enables accurate records of patients’ adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) to be collected, providing real-world data for evaluation. We present three years prospective adherence data from the Italian cohort of ECOS patients naïve to treatment.

Patients and methods: The Italian cohort of naïve patients comprised 81 patients (41 boys and 40 girls aged 1-16 y, 74 GHD, 4 SGA, 3 Turner syndrome). All patients received hGH (Saizen^®) via the easypod^TM device.

Results: Adherence data were available for all patients after 1 year, for 51 after 2 years and for 23 after 3 years. The median level of adherence was maintained >80% over 3 years. Median change in height SDS after 1 year was 0.41. This level of adherence was not correlated with parameters of growth outcome by Spearman’s product-moment correlation likely due to adherence values being skewed towards high positive levels. Additional modelling is expected to provide further insights on correlations between adherence and outcomes.

Conclusions: The majority of patients starting GH treatment with easypod^TM maintained adherence >80% up to 3 years. ECOS has produced accurate, robust, and real-time adherence data in patients receiving Saizen^® via easypod^TM and provided useful insights into growth response to Saizen^® treatment. Using easypod^TM and easypod^TM connect, physicians can identify patients with inadequate adherence, and with poor response to treatment, and help them maximize the benefits of recombinant human GH treatment.

*On behalf of the ECOS Italian Investigators: C. Angeletti, F. Antoniazzi, S. Bernasconi, G.M. Cardinale, M. Caruso-Nicoletti, L Cavallo, S. Cianfarani, G. Citro, F. De Luca, S. Della Casa, M. Di Pietro, P. Garofalo, C. Giordano, N.A. Greggio, M.R. Licenziati, M. Maghnie, M. Parpagnoli, L. Persani, S. Pesce, M. Sacco, M. Salerno, L. Tafi,