Adherence to Treatment with New Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation Patients in Real Clinical Practice (Results of the ANTEY Study)

Abstract

Aim. To study adherence to treatment with new oral anticoagulants (NOAC) and factors associated with it in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) within the outpatient PROFILE registry.Material and methods. ANTEY study included 201 patients with AF from the PROFILE registry (89.3%): 118 males (58.7%) and 83 females (41.3%), aged 71.1Ѓ}8.7 years. The study consisted of two visits half a year apart (V0, V1) and a phone contact (PC) one year after V0. During V0 all patients were recommended to start therapy with one of the NOACs. Adherence to therapy was assessed during all visits with the use of the original questionnaire – National society of evidence-based pharmacotherapy (NSEPh) adherence scale, 8-item Morisky Medical Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and direct doctors’ questioning.Results. During V0 111 (55.2%) patients were recommended the use of rivaroxaban; 47 (23.4%) – the use of dabigatran and 43 (21.4%) – the use of apixaban. During V1 based on the results of the NSEPh adherence scale 155 (77.5%) patients were completely adherent (strictly followed doctors’ recommendations), 5 patients were partially adherent (violated doctors’ recommendations), 7 patients were partially non-adherent (stopped taking NOACs), and 33 patients were completely non-adherent (did not start taking NOACs). Out of 197 patients who completed MMAS-8 questionnaire 157 (79.7%) patients were partially adherent to treatment and 40 (20.3%) patients were non-adherent. None of the patients were completely adherent to treatment. According to doctors’ questioning, by the time of the PC 15 patients had not started taking the recommended NOAC – were completely non-adherent (CNA). According to the NSEPh adherence scale, by the time of the PC out of 197 patients (4 patients died) 158 patients were completely adherent to treatment, 6 – partially adherent, 18 – partially non-adherent and 15 – CNA. According to MMAS-8, by the time of the PC 153 (77.7%) patients were partially adherent to treatment, and 44 (22.3%) patients – non-adherent (none of the patients were completely adherent). Out of 15 CNA patients MMAS-8 revealed only 4 (27,6%) during B1, and 6 (40%) during the PC. NSEPh adherence scale revealed all CNA patients. The main reason for refusing to start NOAC therapy was their high price. Recently started use of NOACs was stopped mostly due to adverse effects of therapy (bleeding). The most common factors increasing patients’ adherence to NOACs were previous experience of taking this group of drugs and no history of any adverse effects during therapy.Conclusion. The ANTEY study showed relatively high adherence to NOACs prescribed by doctors of the specialized cardiology department of the scientific center. The most common factors associated with early non-adherence to the new drug were high price and adverse effects of therapy, the latter influenced prolonged adherence as well. Previous experience of taking this group of drugs and no history of any adverse effects during therapy increased adherence to NOACs.