Adult, adolescent, and caregiver preferences for attributes of topical treatments for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis: a discrete-choice experiment

Abstract

Purpose: Topical treatments for mild-to-moderate (MM) atopic dermatitis (AD) include emollients, corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, a Janus kinase inhibitor, and a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, which differ in multiple ways. This study aimed to quantify the conditional relative importance (CRI) of attributes of topical treatments for MM AD among adult and adolescent patients and caregivers of children with MM AD.

Materials and methods: A discrete-choice experiment (DCE) survey was administered to US adults and adolescents with MM AD and caregivers of children with MM AD. Each choice task comprised 2 hypothetical topical treatments characterized by efficacy, adverse events, vehicle, and application frequency. Data were analyzed using a random-parameters logit model to calculate the CRI of each attribute.

Results and conclusions: 300 adults, 331 adolescents, and 330 caregivers completed the DCE. Avoiding changes in skin color (CRI 29.0) and time until itch improves (26.6) were most important to adults, followed by time until clear/almost clear skin (17.8). Application frequency (3.0) did not have a statistically significant impact on adults’ choices. Adolescents were less concerned about changes in skin color than adults or caregivers; caregivers were less concerned about time until clear/almost clear skin than patients. Physicians should consider age-relevant aspects of preferences in treatment discussions with patients and caregivers.

Keywords:

• Atopic dermatitis
• preferences
• patient
• caregiver
• discrete-choice experiment

Acknowledgments

Kimberly Moon of RTI Health Solutions provided overall project management for this study. Kate Lothman of RTI Health Solutions provided medical writing services during manuscript development.

Consent form

The participants in this study provided written informed consent.

Disclosure statement

This study was conducted under a research contract between Pfizer Inc. and RTI Health Solutions and was funded by Pfizer Inc. Robert Gerber, Amy Cha, Brett Hauber, Joseph C. Cappelleri, and Jason Xenakis are employees of Pfizer Inc. and may hold stock/stock options. Maureen P. Neary was an employee of Pfizer Inc. and held stock at the time of this work; she is now an employee of The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Marco Boeri and Colton Leach were employees of RTI Health Solutions at the time of this work. Steven R. Feldman has received research, speaking, and/or consulting support from Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline/Stiefel, AbbVie, Janssen, Alovtech, vTv Therapeutics, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Samsung, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Amgen, Dermavant, Arcutis, Novartis, Novan, UCB, Helsinn, Sun Pharma, Almirall, Galderma, Leo Pharma, Mylan, Celgene, Ortho Dermatology, Menlo, Merck & Co, Qurient, Forte, Arena, Biocon, Accordant, Argenx, Sanofi, Regeneron, the National Biological Corporation, Caremark, Teladoc, Eurofins, Informa, UpToDate, and the National Psoriasis Foundation. He is founder and part owner of Causa Research and holds stock in Sensal Health.

Additional information

Funding

This study and development of this publication were funded by Pfizer Inc.