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Electronic directly observed therapy benefited children with sickle cell disease
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Electronic directly observed therapy was feasible and associated with improvement in hydroxyurea adherence among pediatric patients with sickle cell disease, according to study results.
The analysis included 15 pediatric patients with sickle cell disease who had been prescribed hydroxyurea for at least 6 months.
Each patient received electronic reminders, personalized feedback and encouraging incentives for 6 months. Patients also submitted daily hydroxyurea administration videos.
Fourteen patients completed the study. Each responded to satisfaction surveys, which indicated the electronic reminders were effective.
Overall, the median hydroxyurea adherence was 93.3%. The median medication possession ratio increased significantly from 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.82) at baseline to 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-1) after 6 months.
Electronic directly observed therapy also was associated with significant increases in mean corpuscular volume (from 96 to 107.2; P=.009) and median hemoglobin F percentage (from 10.5 to 11.4; P=.03).
“This study demonstrates electronic directly observed therapy is feasible, acceptable, and can achieve high hydroxyurea adherence,” the researchers wrote. “Further study is needed to confirm that electronic directly observed therapy can improved hydroxyurea adherence and impact clinical outcomes in children with sickle cell disease.”
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of the researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.
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