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21% of RA patients reached at least 80% adherence to DMARDs
One-fifth of ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged patients with rheumatoid arthritis had an overall adherence to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs of at least 80%, according to recent study results.
Researchers electronically monitored the oral rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug therapy intake of 107 patients (87% female) enrolled in a 2-year prospective cohort study from three publicly funded outpatient rheumatology clinics in Houston. Sixty-three percent of patients were Hispanic; 20%, African-American; and 17%, white. Sixty-five percent of patients had an income of less than $20,000 a year, and 44% did not complete high school.
The percentage of days (or weeks for methotrexate) that a patient took the proper dose prescribed by a physician determined adherence to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and prednisone. Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), health-related quality of life and radiographic damage measured through the Sharp/van der Heijde scoring method assessed patient outcomes.
There was a 64% adherence for DMARD therapy and a 70% adherence for prednisone. Twenty-three patients (21%) had an average DMARD adherence of at least 80%. During a 2-year follow-up, those patients had a significantly lower DAS28 (3.28) compared with patients who were less adherent (4.09; P=.02). Nonadherent patients also had worse radiographic scores at baseline and 1 year.
“Our study is the first to measure drug adherence in RA patients over the long-term, and emphasizes the importance of following the prescribed regimen to manage their disease,” researcher Maria E. Suarez-Almazor, MD, PhD, said in a press release. “Physicians should work with patients to understand their reasons for nonadherence and discuss the importance of taking medications as prescribed to control RA symptoms and prevent disease progression.”