Educational session as a tool to increase patient satisfaction of switching etanercept from the prefilled syringe to the autoinjection pen

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2013 Aug;13(8):1103-8. doi: 10.1517/14712598.2013.795942. Epub 2013 May 16.

Abstract

Objective: To assess patients' acceptability of switching etanercept from the prefilled syringe to the autoinjection pen in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients.

Methods: A two-phase cross-sectional study was designed. First phase: consisted of a 2 h information/education session to present the pen and learning its use. At the end of the session, patients completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding the meeting usefulness. Second phase: eight single-use prefilled Enbrel® Pen Myclic were provided.

Results: The number of patients included were 104 (rheumatoid arthritis 58, psoriatic arthritis 31, ankylosing spondylitis 15). Attendees showed a high satisfaction degree with the meeting. A high percentage of patients (74.4 - 95.1%) rated the items of the questionnaire as 'very much'. Patients reported > 95% adherence to etanercept autoinjection pen. The percentage of patients self-administering etanercept increased from 66 to 94% and the percentage of those attending primary care for injection decreased from 23 to 2%. It produced important cost savings, in our study represents > 22.000 euros/year. Pain at the injection site was significantly reduced with the use of autoinjection pen. Ninty seven (93%) patients considered that the use of the autoinjection pen was easier than the syringe and 94.2% chose the pen as their preferred delivery system.

Conclusions: The autoinjection pen is an advantageous delivery option for etanercept. This study provides further evidence to support that the education strategy is a valid method for switching anti-TNF-α drugs from syringe to pen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antirheumatic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Psoriatic / drug therapy*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Drug Delivery Systems / instrumentation*
  • Drug Substitution
  • Etanercept
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / administration & dosage*
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Education as Topic
  • Patient Satisfaction / statistics & numerical data*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / administration & dosage*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / therapeutic use
  • Self Administration / instrumentation
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / drug therapy*
  • Syringes

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Etanercept