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Monthly distribution of bisphosphonates yields more compliance in military patients
Devine J. Osteoporos Int. 2011. doi: 10.1007/s00198-011-1729-4
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Patients in the U.S. Military Health System who received oral bisphosphonates on a monthly basis demonstrated higher rates of medication compliance than those who received weekly dosing.
However, the study authors noted, that compliance with bisphosphonates was “suboptimal.”
The findings suggest officials need to improve strategies for the enhancement of compliance, the authors reported.
The authors performed a retrospective, observational cohort study of 22,363 new users of oral bisphosphonates. Sixty-eight percent of these patients received their medication weekly, and 32% received medication monthly.
“Medication compliance during the first year of treatment was measured using two methods: Medication possession ratio (MPR) with compliance defined as greater than or equal to days covered, and time to first gap of more than 30 days following initiation,” the authors wrote.
Following the first year, the researchers found 57% of patients had not complied with bisphosphonate use — and 84% experienced a 30-day or longer gap of treatment. Analysis revealed patients were 21% more likely to be compliant if they were in the group of monthly users. Furthermore, the monthly-user group was 6% less likely to experience a 30-day gap in treatment.