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November 06, 2023
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Study: Higher medication nonadherence for Black vs. white adults with glomerular disease

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Key takeaways:

  • Black vs. white adults had higher odds of medication nonadherence.
  • Black adults more likely indicated adverse events, cost and feeling well as common reasons for medication non-adherence. 

PHILADELPHIA — Black adults with glomerular diseases showed more medication nonadherence compared with white adults, according to study results presented at ASN Kidney Week, here.

“Nonadherence to medication is common in patients with glomerular diseases [GD],” Jill Krissberg, MD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told Healio. “Poor adherence is associated with chronic kidney disease progression among other adverse outcomes.”

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Black vs. white adults had higher odds of medication nonadherence. Image: Adobe Stock.

Researchers conducted the Cure Glomerulonephropathy Network multinational prospective cohort study to examine adherence and the correlation with demographic, socioeconomic and disease-related factors. The study included 1,550 adult patients with biopsy-proven glomerular disease. Median eGFR at enrollment was 73.2 mL/min/1.73m2, and median urine protein-to-creatinine ratio was 1.5g/g. Overall, 59% of patients reported at least one no-adherence response during the 53 months of median follow-up, during which time researchers completed a median of four surveys.

Krissberg and colleagues found Black adults had higher odds of nonadherence compared with white peers, with an odds ratio of 1.7. Public insurance in the United States was associated with higher odds of nonadherence at ratio of 1.45. Moderate or greater edema was associated with higher odds of nonadherence with a ratio of 1.45.

The most common reason cited for medication nonadherence was forgetfulness as reported by 60% of patients, according to the abstract. Overall, 23% of Black patients named adverse events as a reason for medication nonadherence compared with 17% of white patients. Cost and feeling well were also more commonly named as reasons for medication nonadherence among Black patients compared with white patients.

“Patients with GD face challenges taking complex and potentially toxic medication regimens,” Krissberg said. “Interventions to target these barriers and community level vulnerability, such as poverty and transportation access, may help improve outcomes.”

 

Reference:

Krissberg J, et al. PO591. Presented at: American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week; Nov. 2-5, 2023; Philadelphia.