Treatment satisfaction in cystic fibrosis: early patient experience with tobramycin inhalation powder

Abstract

Jonathan Greenberg,1 Jacqueline B Palmer,2 Wing W Chan,2 Catherine E Correia,1 Diane Whalley,3 Paul Shannon,3 Gregory S Sawicki1 1Division of Respiratory Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 2Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA; 3RTI Health Solutions, Manchester, UK Background: This study assessed treatment satisfaction of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in a routine clinical setting for tobramycin inhalation powder (TIP), the first dry powder–inhaled antibiotic for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.Methods: CF patients aged 6 years or older treated with at least one cycle of TIP completed a web survey on experience with TIP, including the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM). Regression analysis determined the factors associated with TSQM global satisfaction. Results: Eighty patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 24.4±9.4 years; 57.5% female; mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second ± standard deviation: 67.1%±27.3% predicted) completed the survey. The majority expressed satisfaction with TIP’s administration time (100%), time to clean (97.1%), portability (97.1%), and ease of use (94.3%). Effectiveness was significantly associated with TSQM global satisfaction (regression R-squared: 0.54). Conclusion: Patient preferences for TIP were based on administration time and ease of use. Global satisfaction was related to greater patient-perceived effectiveness. Keywords: cystic fibrosis, patient satisfaction, tobramycin, dry powder inhalers

Keywords

• Cystic fibrosis
• patient satisfaction
• tobramycin
• dry powder inhalers.