Study finds need for improved glaucoma treatment compliance in Brazil

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Brazilians with glaucoma are as compliant with their glaucoma treatment regimens as glaucoma patients in other countries, but higher adherence rates are needed for effective management of the disease. These are the conclusions of a study of glaucoma compliance in Brazil.

J.F. Lopes, MD, and colleagues at the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, presented a poster on the subject here at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting. Their cross-sectional study examined 199 patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma who were using topical glaucoma medications. Patients were given a structured questionnaire addressing sociodemographic aspects of the disease and its treatment. Those who claimed to have taken 100% of their prescribed eye drops in the previous 3 days were deemed adherent. Statistical analysis was used to associate noncompliance with a series of variables.

The researchers found that the prevalence of nonadherence was 32.2%. A statistically significant connection was shown in univariate analysis between adherence and number of prescribed doses (P < .001), pilocarpine prescription (P = .0028), self-reported "absolute" adherence (P = .001) and attitude to taking eye drops (P < .001).