TY - JOUR T1 - Measuring adherence to therapy in airways disease JF - Breathe JO - Breathe DO - 10.1183/20734735.0037-2021 VL - 17 IS - 2 SP - 210037 AU - Joshua Holmes AU - Liam G. Heaney Y1 - 2021/06/01 UR - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/17/2/210037.abstract N2 - Non-adherence to medication is one of the most significant issues in all airways disease and can have a major impact on disease control as well as on unscheduled healthcare utilisation. It is vital that clinicians can accurately determine a patient's level of adherence in order to ensure they are gaining the maximal benefit from their therapy and also to avoid any potential for unnecessary increases in therapy. It is essential that measurements of adherence are interpreted alongside biomarkers of mechanistic pathways to identify if improvements in medication adherence can influence disease control.In this review, the most common methods of measuring adherence are discussed. These include patient self-report, prescription record checks, canister weighing, dose counting, monitoring drug levels and electronic monitoring. We describe the uses and benefits of each method as well as potential shortcomings. The practical use of adherence measures with measurable markers of disease control is also discussed.Educational aimsTo understand the various methods available to measure adherence in airways disease.To learn how to apply these adherence measures in conjunction with clinical biomarkers in routine clinical care.Measuring adherence in line with clinical biomarkers is essential to ensure that clinically relevant and appropriate treatment decisions are being made. https://bit.ly/3yaPTO6 ER -