Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT1381

Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) treatment can improve or normalise growth outcomes in paediatric patients with growth hormone deficiency. However, poor adherence to the long-term treatment regimen limits its effectiveness and leads to sub-optimal growth outcomes. The multicomponent, individualised TUITEK^™ Patient Support Program (PSP) aims to guide behavioural changes throughout the treatment care pathway in a way that is personalised to the needs of individual patients and their caregivers.

Aim: To determine the impact of the TUITEK^™ PSP on the knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of high-risk caregivers regarding adherence to r-hGH treatment (disease and treatment coherence, emotional burden, self-administration, and treatment-related anxiety).

Methods: This prospective pre–post study of the TUITEK^™ PSP was conducted in a combined population of caregivers (aged 25–60 years) of patients with short stature receiving r-hGH treatment (somatropin [Saizen^®; Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany]) using auto-injector device and injection pens in Argentina, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan. The analysis included caregivers categorised as high-risk were offered a set of five personalised telephone calls from a trained nurse practitioner over 3 months, along with resource packs with a range of behaviour change techniques. Two weeks after the final call of the TUITEK^™ PSP, caregivers were contacted to complete a follow-up personalisation questionnaire. Changes in the questionnaire-based scores were assessed.

Results: Data from 409 high-risk caregivers were obtained. Of these caregivers, 10. 3% were considered high risk for disease and treatment coherence, and 71. 4% were considered high risk for emotional burden. Involvement in the PSP was associated with a statistically significant (P < 0. 0001) positive change in all factors. These improvements were reflected in the number of caregivers who moved from the high- to low-risk category at the end of the PSP. The greatest change was observed for disease and treatment coherence, with only 1 of the 42 high-risk caregivers failing to move into the low-risk category. When looking at any positive change in score, 100% of caregivers who were high-risk at baseline had a beneficial change in disease and treatment coherence, 86. 4% a change in self-administration, 63% a change in emotional burden, and 79. 6% a change in treatment-related anxiety. The changes observed in the overall cohort remained similar when the data were analysed separately for individual countries.

Conclusions: The TUITEK^™ PSP successfully improved key caregiver-related behaviours that may negatively impact adherence to r-hGH treatment. Furthermore, it might improve treatment adherence and thus clinical outcomes.