Evaluation of impact of adherence to inhaled therapy and critical mistakes in inhalation technique on clinical outcomes in patients with obstructive airway diseases in India

Adherence to inhaled therapy is more relevant in respiratory diseases because, to achieve therapeutic efficacy, it is necessary that the patient adhere to the recommended therapy as well as use their inhalers correctly with appropriate inhalation technique. This was a prospective, observational study that included 126 patients 18 years of age of all genders, diagnosed with an obstructive airway disease, and prescribed inhaler medication. Adherence was assessed using the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI) questionnaire, and inhaler device technique was assessed every 3 months. At the end of one year, outcome data like the number of exacerbations, the number of admissions, including critical-care admissions, the number of days of hospitalization, adverse events, and their associations were analyzed. Poor adherence to inhaled therapy was found in 40.48% of patients, with the majority of patients (69.05%) having an unwitting or ignorant pattern of non- adherence. Out of 75 patients using MDI (Metered Dose Inhaler), 34.67% had critical mistakes in technique, and out of 51 patients using Rotahaler, 23.53% had critical mistakes in technique. There was no significant relationship between level of adherence and critical mistakes with gender, BMI category, or past history of smoking. Patients with poor adherence and those with critical mistakes in inhalation technique had poor health outcomes. This study highlights the role of adherence and identifies barriers responsible for non-adherence to inhaled therapy. Identifying the behaviors responsible for non-adherence and counseling the patients on the correct inhalation technique can improve the health outcomes of chronic respiratory diseases.