The Impact of Budesonide/Formoterol pMDI Medication Reminders on Adherence in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients: Results of a Randomized, Phase 4, Clinical Study

Among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), adherence to inhaled medication leads to fewer exacerbations and improved health status. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of medication reminders via the BreatheMate device on adherence in patients with COPD. A 6-month, phase 4, randomized, multicenter, open-label US study (NCT02864342) enrolled 138 patients aged ≥40 years with moderate to very severe COPD and ≥10 pack-year smoking history. Patients in the intervention (n = 68) and control (n = 70) groups received the BreatheMate device, smartphone application, and vouchers to redeem pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) for the prescribed 2 puffs of budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5 μg twice daily. The intervention group also received twice-daily electronic reminders to take budesonide/formoterol. The primary endpoint was the mean number of sets of adherent puffs/day (4 puffs: 2 puffs within 60 minutes, twice daily) over 6 months. Secondary endpoints included adherence by three 60-day intervals, usage days, prescription refills, and Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) score. Study enrollment terminated early due to issues with inconsistent syncing. A higher mean proportion of adherent days (77.6% vs 60.2%;