The Growzen™ buddy smartphone application shows positive findings on adherence in Argentinian patients receiving growth hormone therapy for growth disorders (abstract)

Background: Digital health solutions, such as the Growzen™ buddy smartphone application (app), can facilitate adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) treatment for patients with growth disorders. The app alerts patients when it’s time for an injection and allows patients and their caregivers to self-monitor growth, to build a routine and improve adherence. The app also contains educational resources to empower patients to be active in their treatment. Aim: To study the impact of the Growzen™ app on adherence to r-hGH treatment in patients with growth disorders. Methods: Adherence data, invitation dates to the app, activation dates of the app, and height measurements entered in the app were extracted from the easypod™ connect ecosystem. Patients from Argentina who had 12 months of adherence data and were <19 and ≥2 years of age at treatment start were selected both before (Jan 2018-Sept 2020) and after (Oct 2020-May 2022) implementation of the app. Mean adherence in the first year was classified as optimal (≥85%) versus suboptimal (<85%). Logistic and mixed effects logistic regression analyses were performed to test the difference between adherence before and after implementation and the pre-post app effect on adherence, respectively. Results: Data for 693 patients (GHD, n=415; SGA, n=207; TS, n=46; other/unknown, n=8) were available. Prior to implementation of the app, the proportion of patients with optimal adherence remained stable (179/261 [69%] and 169/254 [67%] patients initiating treatment in 2018 and 2019, respectively). Following implementation of the app, out of 178 patients, 174 (98%) received an invitation with a link to the app, 134 (75%) activated the account, and 75 (42%) entered height data in the app in the first year of treatment. There was a significant increase, already visible early in treatment, in the proportion of patients with optimal adherence following implementation of the app: 83% (148/178), P<0.001. After implementation, the proportion of patients with optimal adherence included 84% (113/134) of those with an active account and 89% (67/75) of those who entered height measurements in the app. Within the group with an active account in the first year, there was a significant and positive pre-post app effect on adherence (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our results show that using the Growzen™ buddy app has a timely fast positive impact on adherence to r-hGH treatment in patients with growth disorders receiving GH therapy. In particular, patients who were more engaged with the app showed better adherence.