Self-reports concerning an autoinjector device for etanercept（SmartClic^®/ClicWise^®）from eleven Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of an electric autoinjector device for etanercept（ETN）SmartClic^®/ClicWise^® in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis（RA）.

Methods: Self-reports were collected from eleven patients（male, n=2; female, n=9）who were using ETN. The answers to the nine questions on the level of satisfaction with SmartClic^®/ClicWise^®（1 to 5）were recorded.

Patients: The mean age and disease duration were 63.0 ± 11.0 years and 17.9 ± 5.03 years, respectively. The mean doses of prednisolone and methotrexate were 0.48±1.21mg/day and 4.64 ± 4.13mg/week respectively. There were five bio-naïve patients, five bio-switch patients and one JAK inhibitor-bio-switch patient. Ten patients received ETN at 50mg/week, and one used it at 25mg/week. Nine patients had used syringes, and two had used pen-type auto-injectors before switching to a SmartClic^®/ClicWise^®.

Results: A 63-year-old woman（25mg/week）preferred a syringe and stopped using SmartClic^®/ClicWise^®, whereas the other ten patients preferred SmartClic^®/ClicWise^®. The average score of the nine questions was 4.1 ± 1.1.

Conclusion: SmartClic^®/ClicWise^® was welcomed by ten of the eleven patients surveyed. More self-reports should be collected to establish its usefulness.