Marker Of Nonadherence Research Articles

High Intrapatient Variability of Tacrolimus Levels and Outpatient Clinic Nonattendance Are Associated With Inferior Outcomes in Renal Transplant Patients

Nonadherence to immunosuppressants is associated with rejection and allograft loss. Intrapatient variability (IPV) of immunosuppression levels is a marker of nonadherence. This study describes the impact of IPV of tacrolimus levels in patients receiving a tacrolimus monotherapy immunosuppression protocol. We retrospectively analyzed the outpatient tacrolimus levels of kidney-only transplant patients taken between 6 and 12 months posttransplant. IPV was determined using the coefficient of variance. Six hundred twenty-eight patients with a mean number of 8.98 ± 3.81 tacrolimus levels and a mean follow-up of 4.72 ± 2.19 years were included. Multivariate analysis showed death was associated with increasing age (1.04 [1.01-1.07], P = 0.0055), diabetes at time of transplant (2.79 [1.44-5.41], P = 0.0024), and rejection (2.34 [1.06-5.19], P = 0.036). Variables associated with graft loss included the highest variability group (2.51 [1.01-6.27], P = 0.048), mean tacrolimus level less than 5 ng/mL (4.32 [1.94-9.63], P = 0.0003), a high clinic nonattendance rate (1.10 [1.01-1.20], P = 0.03), and rejection (9.83 [4.62-20.94], P < 0.0001). Independent risk factors for rejection were de novo donor-specific antibody (3.15 [1.84-5.39], P < 0.0001), mean tacrolimus level less than 5 ng/mL (2.57 [1.27-5.19], P = 0.00860, and a high clinic nonattendance rate (1.11 [1.05-1.18], P = 0.0005). This study shows that high tacrolimus IPV and clinic nonattendance are associated with inferior allograft survival. Interventions to minimize the causes of high variability, particularly nonadherence are essential to improve long-term allograft outcomes.

Hydroxychloroquine blood assay as a marker of nonadherence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Comment on the article by Koneru et al

Hydroxychloroquine blood assay as a marker of nonadherence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Comment on the article by Koneru et al

Variability of Erythrocyte and Serum Lithium Levels Correlates with Therapist Treatment Adherence Efforts and Maintenance Treatment Outcome

This study investigated the relationship between psychotherapeutic interventions and pharmacologic measures of pharmacotherapy treatment adherence in patients with bipolar I disorder, as well as the relationship between these measures and treatment outcome. Subjects were participating in an ongoing maintenance treatment study. Audiotaped therapy sessions were rated for frequency of psychotherapeutic interventions related to pharmacotherapy treatment adherence. Pharmacologic measures of medication adherence were compared to the tape ratings as well as to treatment outcome. Variability in log erythrocyte (RBC) lithium—a marker of probable nonadherence to the pharmacotherapy regimen—for individual patients correlated significantly with treatment adherence interventions scale ratings. This marker of nonadherence was significantly related to maintenance treatment outcome, as was variability of the serum lithium level/dose (L/D) ratio; however, no relationship was found between treatment adherence interventions scale ratings and outcome.

Psychological Factors Associated with Medication Nonadherence in Asthmatic Children

Adherence with inhaled beta-agonists and corticosteroids in 24 asthmatic children was tracked over 3 months utilizing the metered-dose inhaler chronolog (MDIC). Patients seldom took all of their medications as prescribed, and failed to take any inhaled corticosteroid doses on a median of 41.8% of days or inhaled beta-agonists on 28.1% of days despite prescribed daily use. Medication nonadherence was correlated with lower levels of asthma knowledge (Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire) and family dysfunction (Family Assessment Device), but not child behavior disorder (Child Behavior Checklist). Patients tended to dramatically over-report medication use. Improved identification of the markers of nonadherence can directly facilitate more efficient targeting of behavioral interventions, resulting in improved adherence, better illness control, and less requirement of urgent medication intervention.