ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Drug adherence is one of the most important factors determining graft and patient survivals after liver transplantation. A systematic pharmaceutical educational approach has been implemented to improve adherence in immunosuppressive drugs therapy at Siriraj Hospital. METHODS: This study was a single-center cross-sectional study of liver transplant patients who received pharmaceutical care from transplant pharmacists. The clinical pharmacy services, including medication review to emphasize patients' knowledge and awareness of immunosuppressive and general drug therapies with the use of various tools, were used to educate the patients. Drug-related problems (DRPs) and pre- and post-transplantation educational tests (divided into 3 parts: immunosuppressants [12 points], drug monitoring [6 points], and general drugs [2 points]) were analyzed. RESULTS: From October 2012 to September 2014, a total of 50 liver transplant recipients (86 visits) were enrolled. After the systematic pharmaceutical educational program, the average total score of post-transplantation educational test improved from 3.48 to 13.30 (P < .001). Likewise, the mean scores of all 3 parts significantly increased (part I: 2.28 vs 8.18 [P < .001]; part II: 0.75 vs 3.63 (P < .001); and part III: 0.46 vs 1.50 [P < .001]). The incidences of major DRPs, nonadherence, and adverse drug reactions were 8%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic pharmaceutical educational approach can significantly improve patients' knowledge and awareness concerning immunosuppressive drug usage.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/surgery , End Stage Liver Disease/surgery , Graft Rejection/prevention & control , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Liver Transplantation , Medication Adherence , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Drug Monitoring , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/epidemiology , End Stage Liver Disease/etiology , Female , Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications , Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Mycophenolic Acid/therapeutic use , Pharmaceutical Services , Risk Factors , Tacrolimus/therapeutic useABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Immunosuppressive medication is one of the pivotal factors in the outcome of liver transplant patients. Nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy is a common problem after transplantation and affects graft and patient survival. This study aimed to assess immunosuppressive medication adherence in liver transplant recipients. METHODS: Liver transplant recipients who underwent the Siriraj-Support Medication Adherence in Organ Transplantation (S-SMAOT) program were included in this cross-sectional study. Immunosuppressive medication adherence was assessed with the use of the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored from 0 to 12; very poor to excellence adherence). The correlations between ITAS scores and the clinical profiles of the patients, duration after transplantation, and transplant educational scores post-test were also analyzed. RESULTS: From October 2012 to September 2014, a total of 50 liver transplant recipients (86 visits) were enrolled in this study. The ratio of male to female patients was 48:52. The proportions of patients with ITAS scores of 12, 10-11, and 0-9 were 82.6%, 16.3% and 1.2%, respectively. ITAS score was significantly correlated with the duration after transplantation (P < .001) and the educational scores (P = .009). CONCLUSIONS: Consistent assessment of patients' immunosuppressive medication adherence is essential to avoid problems of noncompliance and to improve the outcome after liver transplantation. The S-SMAOT program was an effective approach to significantly improve the medication adherence in liver transplant recipients.