ESPE Abstracts

Background: For early identification of patients requiring adherence support, objective, real-time adherence data are needed. The easypod™ electromechanical injection device, in combination with the easypod™ connect ecosystem, electronically records and transmits, in real time, accurate records of the date, time and dose injected for patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) to treat growth disorders. Healthcare professionals can us...

Background: Over the last decade, and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a substantial increase in the use of digital health tools to track growth and manage growth disorders in children. Paediatric endocrinologists acknowledge the usefulness of these tools in clinical decision making but lack confidence and skills to use them. Atique et al. designed a Massive Open Online Learning Course (MOOC) to increase digital health literacy, and identified...

Background: Monitoring adherence to growth hormone (GH) treatment is important, because poor adherence can lead to suboptimal clinical outcomes. The easypod™ electromechanical injection device in combination with the web-based easypod™ connect platform electronically records and transmits accurate, objective records of the date, time and dose injected of patients receiving GH with growth disorders, allowing physicians to accurately monitor patients&#...

Background: Poor adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) treatment presents a significant barrier to achieving optimal growth outcomes. It is important to identify and address the treatment adherence-related needs of children prescribed r-hGH, and develop new approaches to improve adherence. In this study, we aimed to measure the impact of the TuiTek patient support programme, a multi-component personalised service intervention, on caregivers&#14...

Background: Treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) requires daily injections over many years. Connected digital health devices can facilitate GH treatment by automating the injection process, which reduces anxiety, and collecting injection data in real-time so that accurate adherence information is available to healthcare professionals (HCPs). In developing new digital health solutions, HCP perspectives should be considered.<strong...

Background: Digital health solutions, such as the Growzen™ buddy smartphone application (app), can facilitate adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) treatment for patients with growth disorders. The app alerts patients when it’s time for an injection and allows patients and their caregivers to self-monitor growth, to build a routine and improve adherence. The app also contains educational resources to empower patients to be active in...

Background: Long-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) is often challenging for children and adolescents, their caregivers and healthcare professionals (HCPs), as treatment requires daily injections over several years. Connected digital health devices facilitate this by automating the injection process to improve comfort, reduce anxiety and collect GH treatment data so that accurate adherence information is available to HCPs in real-time...

Background: Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of measuring and achieving optimal adherence to growth hormone treatment in patients with growth disorders. However, there is still a paucity of research on how treatment adherence can be improved in patients with suboptimal adherence.Aim: To classify the causes of suboptimal adherence and collaborate with patients and caregivers to improve adherence.<p cla...

Background: Several criteria for growth response to growth hormone (GH) therapy have been developed. These include height velocity (HV), height standard deviation score (HSDS), ΔHV, and ΔHSDS. Other parameters considered as predictors of growth response include age at start, weight SDS, GH dose, and target height SDS. Among these, the two most important parameters to predict future height before treatment start are HSDS and age.<p class="abstex...

Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) therapy is an effective treatment strategy for children experiencing growth disorders. However, poor adherence to long-term r-hGH therapy can lead to suboptimal catch-up growth. Digital health solutions, such as easypod® connect ecosystem, can facilitate adherence to r-hGH therapy in these patients.Aim: To investigate the adherence to r-hGH therapy administered via...