Patient-physician discordance in assessment of adherence to inhaled controller medication: a cross-sectional analysis of two cohorts

We aimed to compare patient's and physician's ratings of inhaled medication adherence and to identify predictors of patient-physician discordance.(SFRH/BPD/115169/2016) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT); ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through the operations: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029130 ('mINSPIRERS—mHealth to measure and improve adherence to medication in chronic obstructive respiratory diseases—generalisation and evaluation of gamification, peer support and advanced image processing technologies') cofunded by the COMPETE2020 (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização), Portugal 2020 and by Portuguese Funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Measuring Adherence to Inhaled Control Medication in Patients with Asthma: Comparison Among an Asthma App, Patient Self‐Report and Physician Assessment

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using an asthma app to support medication management and adherence but failed to compare with other measures currently used in clinical practice. However, in a clinical setting, any additional adherence measurement must be evaluated in the context of both the patient and physician perspectives so that it can also help improve the process of shared decision making. Thus, we aimed to compare different measures of adherence to asthma control inhalers in clinical practice, namely through an app, patient self-report and physician assessment. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of three prospective multicentre observational studies with patients (≥13 years old) with persistent asthma recruited from 61 primary and secondary care centres in Portugal. Patients were invited to use the InspirerMundi app and register their inhaled medication. Adherence was measured by the app as the number of doses taken divided by the number of doses scheduled each day and two time points were considered for analysis: 1-week and 1-month. At baseline, patients and physicians independently assessed adherence to asthma control inhalers during the previous week using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS 0-100). Results: A total of 193 patients (72% female; median [P25-P75] age 28 [19-41] years old) were included in the analysis. Adherence measured by the app was lower (1 week: 31 [0-71]%; 1 month: 18 [0-48]%) than patient self-report (80 [60-95]) and physician assessment (82 [51-94]) (p 0.05). There was a moderate correlation between patient self-report and physician assessment (ρ = 0.596, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Adherence measured by the app was lower than that reported by the patient or the physician. This was expected as objective measurements are commonly lower than subjective evaluations, which tend to overestimate adherence. Nevertheless, the low adherence measured by the app may also be influenced by the use of the app itself and this needs to be considered in future studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determinants of the use of health and fitness mobile apps by patients with asthma: secondary analysis of observational studies

Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients’ daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. Methods: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were ≤40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). Conclusions: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users’ general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use

A rare case of acute urinary retention

A retenção urinária é pouco frequente na infância, podendo ser congénita ou secundária a processos traumáticos, inflamatórios, cirúrgicos, neurológicos, mecânicos, medicamentosos ou psicogénicos. Apresenta-se o caso clínico de uma adolescente de treze anos, com quadro de algia hipogástrica, retenção urinária e obstipação. Ao exame objectivo constatou-se uma massa arredondada hipogástrica. A radiografia simples do abdómen evidenciou imagem radiopaca no terço inferior do abdómen e a ecografia abdomino-pélvica mostrou conteúdo impuro sugerindo hematocolpos e hematometra. Realizada himeniotomia cirúrgica com evolução favorável. A inspecção atenta dos genitais externos é fundamental, logo após o nascimento, para o diagnóstico de hímen imperfurado. Quando não detectado e tratado no período neonatal, na sua maioria o diagnóstico é realizado tardiamente em idade pubertária perante o aparecimento de complicações. ABSTRACT Introduction: Acute urinary retention is uncommon in childhood, and it can be congenital or secondary to traumatic, inflammatory, surgical, neurological or mechanical processes, drug-induced or psychogenic. Case report: We report a clinical case of a thirteen year old girl with hypogastric pain, urinary retention and constipation. On physical examination a rounded hipogastric mass was palpable. An abdominal X-ray revealed a radiopaque image in the lower third of the abdomen and the abdominal-pelvic ultrasonography revealed an impure content suggesting hematocolpos and hematometra. A surgical incision of the hymen was performed, with favorable outcome. Conclusion: A careful inspection of the external genitalia immediately after birth is essential for the diagnosis of imperforated hymen. When not detected and treated in the neonatal period, most of them have a delayed diagnosis during puberty when complications may occur

Food allergy in childhood

Introdução: A prevalência da alergia alimentar, em idade pediátrica, é cerca de 4-6%. Os principais alimentos responsabilizados por alergia são o leite e clara do ovo, sendo a clínica de alergia, geralmente transitória. Objetivo e métodos: Caracterizar casos de alergia alimentar persistentes ou menos frequentes em idade pediátrica, seguidos na consulta de pediatria/doenças alérgicas num hospital nível II. O diagnóstico baseou-se na anamnese, testes cutâneos, doseamento de IgE sérica especifica e, na ausência de contra-indicações, prova de provocação oral. Num caso realizou-se ISAC® (immuno solid - phase allergen chip) e Imunoblotting para melhor esclarecimento diagnóstico. Foram excluídas as alergias à clara do ovo e às proteínas do leite de vaca com aquisição de tolerância ao longo da infância. Um caso de alergia às proteínas do leite de vaca foi incluído pela não aquisição de tolerância, tornando-o assim uma forma menos frequente. Resultados: Selecionaram-se 12 casos, dos quais 75% (9) eram do sexo masculino. Registaram-se antecedentes familiares de alergias em 58,3% (7) e 83,3% (10) tinham concomitantemente outra manifestação de atopia. Constatamos sete casos de alergia ao kiwi e quatro casos de polissensibilização alimentar. As formas de apresentação clínica foram: urticária [66,7% (8)]; edema perioral [63,6% (7)]; angioedema [41,7% (6)] e dispneia [45,5% (5)]. Todos os testes cutâneos foram positivos. O mesmo não se verificou com os exames laboratoriais (um caso apresentou testes cutâneos e prova de provocação ao kiwi positiva, com IgE sérica específica, determinação pelo método ISAC e Imunoblotting negativos). Conclusões: A maioria das crianças apresentou co-sensibilização com outros alergénios e outra manifestação concomitante de alergia, refletindo o passo primordial da alergia alimentar na marcha alérgica. O diagnóstico de alergia alimentar é de extrema importância, pela evicção que implica e potencial gravidade.Introduction: Food allergy affects up to 4-6% of children. Cow’s milk and egg allergy are the main allergies, which are usually transient. Purpose and methods: To characterize cases of persistent or less frequent food allergies in children followed as outpatient in a Level II Hospital. Diagnosis was based on clinical history, skin prick tests, specific serum IgE, ISAC and Imunoblotting in special situations, and in oral food challenge whenever possible. Egg allergy was excluded. One case of cow’s milk allergy was included because of its persistence beyond infancy. Results: Twelve cases were selected, 75% (9) were male. There was a family history of allergy in 58.3% (7) and 83.3% (10) had more than one atopic disease. There were seven cases of kiwi fruit allergy and four cases of multiple food hypersensitivity. Clinical presentations were: urticaria [66.7% (8)]; lips edema [63.6% (7)], angioedema [41.7% (6)] and dyspnoea [45.5% (5)]. All skin prick tests were positive, unlike the laboratory tests (case 5:, skin prick tests and oral food challenge positives to the kiwi fruit, with specific serum IgE, immuno solid-phase allergen chip and immunoblotting negatives) Of the five patients who underwent oral food challenge, only one acquired tolerance Conclusions: In these cases, most children had co-sensitization with other allergens, as well as another manifestation of concomitant allergy, showing the role of food allergy in allergic march. Food allergy diagnosis is extremely important, as it can be potentially serious if not prevented by food avoidance