Optimal cut-off value and clinical usefulness of adherence starts with knowledge-12 (ASK-12) in asthmatic patients taking inhaled corticosteroid

Background: Non-adherence to inhalation regimens is common in asthma. The ASK-12 survey was developed to detect and address patient-specific barriers to medication adherence. Objective: To investigate the clinical usefulness of the ASK-12 for assessing and addressing adherence to inhalation therapy in asthma. Methods: The ASK-12 was administered to 138 asthmatic patients. Using pharmacy-refill data, we examined the cut-off value of the ASK-12 to identify patients who were non-adherent to inhalation regimens and identify factors associated with non-adherence. To verify the usefulness of the ASK-12, inhalation regimens were prospectively switched to less-expensive and simpler dosing regimens in 8 non-adherent patients who reported specific-barriers in “inconvenience of twice-daily inhaler use” and “cost.” Results: Valid responses were received from 114 patients. A significant correlation was found between pharmacy-refill rates and the ASK-12 total score( r =-0.55, p Conclusions: The ASK-12 is a brief, practical, and useful measure for assessing and addressing adherence to inhalation regimens in asthma.