Adherence to Treatment in Allergic Rhinitis During the Pollen Season in Europe: A MASK-air Study

Area of Science:

• Allergy and immunology
• Digital health
• Pharmacovigilance

Background:

• Assessing treatment adherence in allergic rhinitis is crucial but often overlooked.
• The MASK-air mHealth app provides a platform for real-world adherence data collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate medication adherence in allergic rhinitis patients using the MASK-air app.
• To compare adherence rates for oral antihistamines (OAH), intra-nasal corticosteroids (INCS), and azelastine-fluticasone.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 8212 complete weeks of data from 1361 European MASK-air users.
• Medication adherence calculated as the proportion of days with reported medication use.
• Symptom severity assessed using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and Combined Symptom-Medication Score (CSMS).

Main Results:

• Adherence rates varied: OAH (38.5%), azelastine-fluticasone (31.7%).
• Intra-nasal corticosteroids (INCS) showed better adherence in asthma patients compared to non-asthma patients.
• Higher adherence correlated with increased symptom severity, except for INCS.

Conclusions:

• Patients regularly using the MASK-air app demonstrate high treatment adherence.
• Distinct adherence patterns for INCS versus OAH/azelastine-fluticasone may necessitate guideline revisions.