Patient Preference and Adherence (Nov 2021)
Preference for Immunotherapy with Tablets by People with Allergic Rhinitis
Abstract
Mike Tankersley,1,2 Tonya Winders,3,4 Mark Aagren,5 Henrik Brandi,5 Mikkel Hasse Pedersen,6 Anne Sofie Ledgaard Loftager,6 Mette Bøgelund6 1Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics and Otolaryngology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA; 2The Tankersley Clinic, Memphis, TN, USA; 3Allergy & Asthma Network, Vienna, VA, USA; 4Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform, Vienna, Austria; 5Department of Global Market Access & Public Affairs, ALK, Hørsholm, Denmark; 6Incentive Denmark, Holte, DenmarkCorrespondence: Mette Bøgelund Tel +45 2916 1222Email [email protected]: People with allergic rhinitis (AR) who are not controlled on conventional therapy can be treated using allergy immunotherapy (AIT) administered as tablets, injections or drops. In the US, the use of sublingual immunotherapy as tablets (SLIT-tablets) is limited in comparison to subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT).Objective: This study investigated patients’ preference for SLIT-tablets vs monthly or weekly SCIT from a US patient perspective.Methods: We carried out a discrete choice experiment (DCE) consisting of two blocks with eight choice sets. Adults and caregivers of children with moderate-to-severe AR were included if they had not previously or were not currently receiving AIT. Three attributes were included in the design: the mode and frequency of administration, the risk of systemic reactions and the co-payment.Results: A total of 724 adults with AR and 665 caregivers of children with AR were included in the study. Both adults and caregivers had a significant preference for SLIT-tablets compared with both weekly and monthly injections and for less risk of anaphylactic shock. Caregivers were more risk-averse than adults when choosing their treatment, and the younger the child, the more risk-averse the caregiver. The preference for SLIT-tablets was found for both monoallergic and polyallergic adults and caregivers of monoallergic and polyallergic children. Respondents not wanting AIT for free were more risk-averse than those indicating that they wanted AIT for free.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SLIT-tablets is the preferred route of administration for AIT among adults and caregivers of children with AR.Keywords: allergic rhinitis, allergy immunotherapy, discrete choice experiment, patient preferences, subcutaneous immunotherapy, sublingual immunotherapy
