TY - JOUR
T1 - Benefits of a nurse-led home injection service for acromegaly patients treated with somatuline autogel
AU - Akirov, Amit
AU - Masri-Iraqi, Hiba
AU - Gorshtein, Alexander
AU - Duskin-Bitan, Hadar
AU - Kaminer, Keren
AU - Shimon, Ilan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of a nurse-led home injection service for somatuline autogel-treated patients with acromegaly, including the adherence to treatment and disease control. Methods: Historical prospective data of all patients with acromegaly initiating somatuline autogel between November 14, 2000, and March 9, 2020, who voluntarily enrolled in the nurse-led home injection service between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2020. Adherence to treatment was calculated as the number of administered injections divided by the number of expected injections during the follow-up period. Excellent adherence to treatment was defined when >90% of scheduled injections were administered, while low adherence was defined when patients received <80% of expected injections. The primary outcome was the adherence to treatment. Results: The cohort included 88 patients (mean age ± SD, 59.8 ± 14.9 years, 53% men). Average adherence to treatment was 93 ± 8% (range 62–100%). Excellent adherence was documented in 65 participants (74%), of which 29 patients (33%) received all scheduled injections. Low adherence to treatment was recorded in seven patients (8%). Average adherence was high independent of gender, age, prior surgery, or radiation therapy, or whether somatuline autogel was used as monotherapy or in combination regimens. However, excellent adherence decreased with increased somatuline dose and with dosing interval of 21 days. Average adherence was slightly higher in patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly. Conclusions: A nurse-led home injection service for somatuline autogel injections is associated with high adherence to treatment. Establishing such a program globally may lead to better adherence to treatment and improved disease control.
AB - Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of a nurse-led home injection service for somatuline autogel-treated patients with acromegaly, including the adherence to treatment and disease control. Methods: Historical prospective data of all patients with acromegaly initiating somatuline autogel between November 14, 2000, and March 9, 2020, who voluntarily enrolled in the nurse-led home injection service between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2020. Adherence to treatment was calculated as the number of administered injections divided by the number of expected injections during the follow-up period. Excellent adherence to treatment was defined when >90% of scheduled injections were administered, while low adherence was defined when patients received <80% of expected injections. The primary outcome was the adherence to treatment. Results: The cohort included 88 patients (mean age ± SD, 59.8 ± 14.9 years, 53% men). Average adherence to treatment was 93 ± 8% (range 62–100%). Excellent adherence was documented in 65 participants (74%), of which 29 patients (33%) received all scheduled injections. Low adherence to treatment was recorded in seven patients (8%). Average adherence was high independent of gender, age, prior surgery, or radiation therapy, or whether somatuline autogel was used as monotherapy or in combination regimens. However, excellent adherence decreased with increased somatuline dose and with dosing interval of 21 days. Average adherence was slightly higher in patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly. Conclusions: A nurse-led home injection service for somatuline autogel injections is associated with high adherence to treatment. Establishing such a program globally may lead to better adherence to treatment and improved disease control.
KW - Acromegaly
KW - Adherence
KW - Somatostatin analogues
KW - Treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85093501681&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12020-020-02529-5
DO - 10.1007/s12020-020-02529-5
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C2 - 33098539
AN - SCOPUS:85093501681
SN - 1355-008X
VL - 71
SP - 453
EP - 458
JO - Endocrine
JF - Endocrine
IS - 2
ER -