Mensuração da não-adesão aos medicamentos imunossupressores em receptores de transplante de fígado / Medición de la no adhesión a los medicamentos inmunosupresores en receptores de trasplante de hígado / Measurement of non-adherence to immunosuppressive medication in liver transplantation recipients

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar os níveis de não-adesão à terapia imunossupressora em uma amostra de receptores de transplante de fígado utilizando a Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medication Scale; correlacionar as características sociodemográficas e os fatores clínicos à não-adesão medicamentosa. Métodos Estudo epidemiológico e transversal, realizado entre março 2016 e março 2018 no ambulatório de transplante de fígado da Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Resultados Foram avaliados 49 pacientes. O nível de não-adesão medicamentosa no transplante de fígado foi de 49% e esteve diretamente relacionado ao uso do ácido micofenólico (p=0,007) e à administração de múltiplas doses de imunossupressores diariamente (p=0,004). Não foram encontradas correlações estatisticamente significativas entre a não-adesão à terapia imunossupressora e as características sociodemográficas e demais variáveis clínicas analisadas. Conclusão Este estudo mostrou que quase a metade dos pacientes deixaram de aderir à terapia imunossupressora no pós transplante de fígado. Uma vez que os desfechos desfavoráveis no transplante estão intimamente relacionados à falhas na adesão, é importante os enfermeiros avaliarem esse comportamento durante o seguimento ambulatorial dos receptores de transplante de fígado.

Resumen Objetivo Analizar los niveles de no adhesión a la terapia inmunosupresora en una muestra de receptores de trasplante de hígado utilizando la Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medication Scale y correlacionar las características sociodemográficas y los factores clínicos con la no adhesión a los medicamentos. Métodos Estudio epidemiológico y transversal realizado entre marzo de 2016 y marzo de 2018 en los consultorios externos de trasplante de hígado de la Universidad Federal de São Paulo. Resultados Fueron analizados 49 pacientes. El nivel de no adhesión a los medicamentos del trasplante de hígado fue de 49% y está directamente relacionado con el uso de ácido micofenólico (p=0,007) y con la administración de varias dosis inmunosupresoras diariamente (p=0,004). No se encontró correlación estadísticamente significativa entre la no adhesión a la terapia inmunosupresora y las características sociodemográficas y demás variables clínicas analizadas. Conclusión Este estudio mostró que casi la mitad de los pacientes dejó de realizar la terapia inmunosupresora en el postrasplante de hígado. Dado que los desenlaces desfavorables del trasplante están íntimamente relacionados con fallas en la adhesión, es importante que los enfermeros evalúen ese comportamiento durante el seguimiento ambulatorio de los receptores de trasplante de hígado.

Abstract Objective Assessing the level of non-adherence to immunosuppressive therapy in a sample of liver transplantation recipients using the Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medication Scale; correlating socio-demographic features and clinical factors to medication non-adherence. Methods This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted between March 2016 and March 2018 at the outpatient service for liver transplantations of the Federal University of São Paulo. Results Forty-nine patients were assessed. The level of medication non-adherence after liver transplantation was 49%. It was directly correlated to the use of mycophenolic acid (p=0.007) and to multiple daily dosing of immunosuppressant medication (p=0.004). No statistically significant correlations were found between non-adherence to immunosuppressive therapy, socio-demographic features, and the remaining clinical variables assessed. Conclusion This study shows that nearly half of all patients are not compliant with immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation. Given poor liver transplantation outcomes are intimately related to adherence failure, nurses need to assess this behavior in outpatient follow-up of liver transplantation recipients.

Health-related quality of life in pre-adolescent liver transplant recipients with biliary atresia: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric recipients of liver transplantation (LT) often report lower Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) than healthy controls when assessed on generic HRQOL measurement tools. The recent addition of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Quality of Life (PeLTQL), a novel disease-specific HRQOL instrument for pediatric LT recipients, into the clinical armamentarium of tools now routinely available to clinical care teams, provides the unique opportunity to identify disease-related challenges in children who have undergone this life-saving intervention. This study assesses HRQOL in pre-adolescent aged patients with a primary diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) who underwent LT as an infant, using both generic and disease-specific HRQOL instruments validated for children. We also examined modifiable factors associated with HRQOL after pediatric LT. METHODS: HRQOL was the primary outcome of this study assessed using the disease-specific PeLTQL and the generic Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL). Exposure variables of interest included medication status (e.g., monotherapy, dual therapy) and participation in sports. RESULTS: A total of 70 (56% female, mean age 9.89 ± 1.25 years) pediatric LT recipients (mean interval since LT was 9.0 ± 1.26 years) comprised the study cohort. LT recipients reported significantly lower PedsQL Scores relative to the general population. Immunosuppression monotherapy was associated with higher patient-reported PeLTQL Scores, and sports participation was associated with higher parent-reported PedsQL Scores. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-adolescents who underwent LT as an infant with BA, self-report low HRQOL on both disease-specific and generic HRQOL tools. Further research targeting sports participation and simplifying immunosuppression may further optimize quality of life years restored by life-saving LT.

Patient and family expectations of beta-cell replacement therapies in type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: New methods of beta-cell replacement have been developed to maintain excellent glycemic control, improve quality of life, and even eliminate insulin injections in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Previously, we demonstrated that being insulin-free is the strongest motivation for accepting a newly developed therapy. Multiple allogeneic islet transplantations with immunosuppression using a human donor is the best option to be insulin-free, but the necessity for immunosuppression and donor shortage are major issues. However, these issues have been improved with scientific progress. The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of patients and their families about the current progress. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey of T1DM patients (n = 47) and their family members (n = 49) about newly developed therapies: single and multiple allogeneic islet transplantation, single and multiple encapsulated allogeneic islet transplantation, single and multiple xenogeneic islet transplantation, and induced pluripotent stem cell therapy. RESULTS: More than 90% of respondents wished to be insulin-free and have stable glycemic control. More than 90% of respondents accepted at least one of the new therapies. The current standard treatment multiple allogeneic islet transplantation was not well accepted or favored. CONCLUSIONS: The next generation of treatments, including xenotransplantation and induced pluripotent stem cell therapy, were more acceptable and favorable. Even though the majority of patients wish to become insulin-free, it is not sufficiently strong motivation for accepting newly developed treatments.

Placebo Effects in the Immune System.

Even though knowledge and systematic application of placebo responses in the immune system are sparse, this topic is of particular importance since it may aim at drug-dose reduction while maintaining therapeutic efficacy of treatment in clinical settings. Placebo responses in the immune system are inducible by associated learning paradigms, such as behaviorally conditioned immunosuppression. One established learning paradigm in both rats and humans is conditioned taste avoidance (CTA), where a novel taste as conditioned stimulus (CS) is paired with the administration of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A (CsA) as unconditioned stimulus. By representing the CS alone at a later time point, the conditioned response is reflected by avoidance behavior toward the taste (CTA). Simultaneously, diminished cytokine production and proliferative capacity of T cells are observed, closely mimicking the pharmacological effects of CsA. This chapter provides an overview on placebo responses in the immune system and delineates actual approaches, translational aspects, and limitations of learning paradigms in clinical settings.

Echinacea purpurea Protects Against Restraint Stress-Induced Immunosuppression in BALB/c Mice.

Echinacea purpurea has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections and the common cold. The restraint stress has been reported to suppress a broad spectrum of immune functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of the pressed juice of E. purpurea (L.) Moench (EFLA®894; Echinacea) against restraint stress-induced immunosuppression in BALB/c mice. Echinacea significantly normalized the restraint stress-induced reduction in splenocyte proliferation and splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity (P < .05). Echinacea treatment significantly increased the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the blood (P < .05). In addition, Echinacea restored serum cytokine levels, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-17 (IL-17), as well as the mRNA expressions of these cytokines in spleen (P < .05). Our findings suggest that Echinacea might have beneficial effects on restraint stress-induced immunosuppression by increasing splenocyte proliferation and NK cell activity, while modulating T lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels in the blood.

Predictors of Non-adherence to Immunosuppressive Therapy in Asian Liver Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to immunosuppressive medications has been shown to affect post-transplant outcomes. We aimed to determine the level of adherence to immunosuppressive therapy in liver transplant (LT) recipients and to elucidate factors associated with it, as well as patient preferences on the dosing schedule. METHODS: LT recipients were recruited during transplant clinic follow-up. A validated Morisky 8-item questionnaire was completed by patients to assess their adherence to immunosuppressive therapy. Adherence was determined by the sum of the responses to the questionnaire. Low, medium, and high adherence were defined by a Morisky score of >2, 1 to 2, and 0, respectively. Data on the patient's socio-economic and clinical background, dosing schedule of immunosuppressant medications, and patient preferences were included in the questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 107 LT recipients were approached and 75 completed the questionnaire. The majority of patients (48/74, 64.9%) preferred a once-daily medication regimen. The proportion of high adherence was 24/75 (32.0%), medium adherence was 51/75 (42.7%), and low adherence was 19/75 (25.3%). Multivariate analysis showed younger age and post-transplant duration >5 years as independent predictors for low adherence. Among low-adherence patients, 16/19 (84.2%) patients were on a twice-daily regimen, and, of these, 14/16 (87.5%) preferred their medications to be reduced to once daily. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion (68%) of LT recipients had low to moderate adherence to medications, with younger age and longer post-transplant duration of >5 years as independent predictors. Early identification of at-risk patients is essential to allow implementation of measures to improve adherence. Simplifying medication regimens to once daily is a potential way to improve adherence.

Factores psicosocio-inmunogenéticos en pacientes diabéticos con complicaciones vasculares / Psychological, social and immunogenetic factors observed in diabetic patients with vascular complications

El desarrollo de la medicina, la ciencia y los medios científicos técnicos, permiten explicar de manera didáctica e integral con un enfoque dialéctico-materialista los fenómenos complejos y sus interrelaciones entre sistemas, en diferentes entidades clínicas como la diabetes mellitus, objeto del presente trabajo. Describir la interacción entre factores psicosocio-inmuno-genéticos en pacientes diabéticos con complicaciones vasculares, fue el objetivo de nuestro trabajo. Se trabajó con las bases de datos PubMed, MedLine, SciELO, Ebsco y artículos científicos publicados en revistas cubanas entre 2011-2015. Se revisaron trabajos en español, inglés y francés. Se analizó la interrelación dialéctica e indisoluble de la función integradora del sistema inmune con los sistemas nervioso y endocrino, la que descansa en las relaciones entre los fenómenos psíquicos y orgánicos, y esto solo puede comprenderse completamente cuando se tiene en cuenta la interacción del hombre con el medio social en que se desenvuelve, así como la relación de este con la naturaleza, que es en definitiva el centro de su actividad creadora y transformadora y sobre todo el análisis de las implicaciones prácticas que conlleva para el campo de la clínica y la ciencia. Podemos concluir que el conocimiento de las interacciones entre factores psicosocio-inmuno-genéticos en pacientes diabéticos tipo 2 con complicaciones vasculares, es imprescindible para comprender la dinámica de los fenómenos bioquímicos, así como entre los tres sistemas integradores: neurológico, endocrino e inmune que tienen lugar en estos pacientes, lo que posibilita el tratamiento más adecuado y eficaz y la prevención de la enfermedad hereditaria en familias portadoras(AU)

The development of medicine, science and technical scientific devices allow explaining didactically and comprehensively, with a dialectical-materialist approach, complex phenomena and their interrelationships in different clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus The objectives of this paper were to describe the interaction among psychological, social, and immunogenetic factors in diabetic patients with vascular complications and to address how these factors are associated with immunosupression state of type 2 diabetic patients. For this purpose, worked with PubMed, MedLine, SciELO, EBSCO databases and scientific articles published in 2011-2015 journals were consulted. A number of papers in Spanish, English and French languages were reviewed. The dialectic and permanent interrelation of the integrative function of the immune system with the nervous and endocrine systems, which is based on the relationship between psychic and phenomena, was analyzed. All this can only be fully understood when one takes into account man's interaction with the social environment as well as his relationship with nature, which is ultimately the core of their creative and transforming activity and particularly, the analysis of the practical implications for the clinical and scientific fields. The knowledge of the interactions among systems is imperative to understand homeostasis and dynamics of biochemical phenomena that occur in humans, both in the relationship between the biological and the psychic areas, and in the biological and the socio environmental areas, thus allowing scientific advances in this field for the development of more effective therapeutic and prevention methods(AU)

Factores psicosocio-inmunogenéticos en pacientes diabéticos con complicaciones vasculares / Psychological, social and immunogenetic factors observed in diabetic patients with vascular complications

El desarrollo de la medicina, la ciencia y los medios científicos técnicos, permiten explicar de manera didáctica e integral con un enfoque dialéctico-materialista los fenómenos complejos y sus interrelaciones entre sistemas, en diferentes entidades clínicas como la diabetes mellitus, objeto del presente trabajo. Describir la interacción entre factores psicosocio-inmuno-genéticos en pacientes diabéticos con complicaciones vasculares, fue el objetivo de nuestro trabajo. Se trabajó con las bases de datos PubMed, MedLine, SciELO, Ebsco y artículos científicos publicados en revistas cubanas entre 2011-2015. Se revisaron trabajos en español, inglés y francés. Se analizó la interrelación dialéctica e indisoluble de la función integradora del sistema inmune con los sistemas nervioso y endocrino, la que descansa en las relaciones entre los fenómenos psíquicos y orgánicos, y esto solo puede comprenderse completamente cuando se tiene en cuenta la interacción del hombre con el medio social en que se desenvuelve, así como la relación de este con la naturaleza, que es en definitiva el centro de su actividad creadora y transformadora y sobre todo el análisis de las implicaciones prácticas que conlleva para el campo de la clínica y la ciencia. Podemos concluir que el conocimiento de las interacciones entre factores psicosocio-inmuno-genéticos en pacientes diabéticos tipo 2 con complicaciones vasculares, es imprescindible para comprender la dinámica de los fenómenos bioquímicos, así como entre los tres sistemas integradores: neurológico, endocrino e inmune que tienen lugar en estos pacientes, lo que posibilita el tratamiento más adecuado y eficaz y la prevención de la enfermedad hereditaria en familias portadoras(AU)

The development of medicine, science and technical scientific devices allow explaining didactically and comprehensively, with a dialectical-materialist approach, complex phenomena and their interrelationships in different clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus The objectives of this paper were to describe the interaction among psychological, social, and immunogenetic factors in diabetic patients with vascular complications and to address how these factors are associated with immunosupression state of type 2 diabetic patients. For this purpose, worked with PubMed, MedLine, SciELO, EBSCO databases and scientific articles published in 2011-2015 journals were consulted. A number of papers in Spanish, English and French languages were reviewed. The dialectic and permanent interrelation of the integrative function of the immune system with the nervous and endocrine systems, which is based on the relationship between psychic and phenomena, was analyzed. All this can only be fully understood when one takes into account man's interaction with the social environment as well as his relationship with nature, which is ultimately the core of their creative and transforming activity and particularly, the analysis of the practical implications for the clinical and scientific fields. The knowledge of the interactions among systems is imperative to understand homeostasis and dynamics of biochemical phenomena that occur in humans, both in the relationship between the biological and the psychic areas, and in the biological and the socio environmental areas, thus allowing scientific advances in this field for the development of more effective therapeutic and prevention methods(AU)

Emotional self-efficacy and alexithymia may affect compliance, renal function and quality of life in kidney transplant recipients: results from a preliminary cross-sectional study.

UNLABELLED: Recent studies show that alexithymia may influence compliance and quality of life in different clinical situations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between alexithymia or emotional self-efficacy and compliance, quality of life (QoL) and renal function in renal transplant patients. METHODS: Forty-three patients were enrolled during a follow-up visit (>3 months post-transplant) and were asked to complete three self-report questionnaires (TAS-20, SF-36, RESE) to answer the following items: "In the past four weeks, how many times did you fail to take your prescribed dose?" and "How would you rate your adherence levels from 0 to 100?" (visual analogue scale). RESULTS: Alexithymia was positively correlated with non-compliance (r=.314; p=.04), and negatively with QoL dimensions. Analysis of variance confirmed that patients with high levels of alexithymia reported a negative perception of their QoL (mental health: F(1,41)=7,6; p=.008) and lower levels of compliance (F(1,41)=12,5; p=.001) compared with patients with low levels of alexithymia. The self-efficacy in the management of negative emotions was significantly correlated (r=-.314; p=.04) with creatinine levels and positively with the QoL (mental health: r=.421; p=.005). DISCUSSION: The inability to recognize and express emotions, as well as the ability to manage negative emotions, may influence compliance and QoL of renal transplant patients. Focused psychological support could be useful in these patients in order to increase their compliance and QoL.

Neurobehavioral consequences of small molecule-drug immunosuppression.

60 years after the first successful kidney transplantation in humans, transplant patients have decent survival rates owing to a broad spectrum of immunosuppressive medication available today. Not only transplant patients, but also patients with inflammatory autoimmune diseases or cancer benefit from these life-saving immunosuppressive and anti-proliferative medications. However, this success is gained with the disadvantage of neuropsychological disturbances and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and impaired quality of life after long-term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. So far, surprisingly little is known about unwanted neuropsychological side effects of immunosuppressants and anti-proliferative drugs from the group of so called small molecule-drugs. This is partly due to the fact that it is difficult to disentangle whether and to what extent the observed neuropsychiatric disturbances are a direct result of the patient's medical history or of the immunosuppressive treatment. Thus, here we summarize experimental as well as clinical data of mammalian and human studies, with the focus on selected small-molecule drugs that are frequently employed in solid organ transplantation, autoimmune disorders or cancer therapy and their effects on neuropsychological functions, mood, and behavior. These data reveal the necessity to develop immunosuppressive and anti-proliferative drugs inducing fewer or no unwanted neuropsychological side effects, thereby increasing the quality of life in patients requiring long term immunosuppressive treatment. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Neuroimmunology and Synaptic Function'.

[Transplantation and retransplantation--impact on emotional state]. / Transplantacija i retransplantacija--utjecaj na emocionalno stanje.

In our clinical practice, we are often faced with emotional difficulties of transplanted patients. Most are due to anxiety, difficulty in integrating newly recruited organ as its own, feeling of guilt, and difficulties with personal experience of self. Despite common presence of emotional difficulties, many studies describe improvement in the quality of life of transplant patients. However, the quality of life is deteriorating again in case of transplant rejection. In such situations, restlessness develops along with losing control over their own lives, a sense of failure, hopelessness and lack of prosperity ideas. Complex emotional experiencing is very important in strengthening the patient's psychological health and personality, thus achieving better treatment compliance in general.

Symptom experiences in patients after heart transplantation.

Patients' perceptions of immunosuppression-related symptom experience impact on quality of life and medication adherence. Using The Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Symptom Distress Scale capturing items on symptom occurrence and symptom distress, 261 heart transplant recipients reported on their symptom experiences. Symptoms occurring with the highest prevalence were tiredness, lack of energy, and nervousness. Men showed erectile dysfunction causing the most distress. Women and younger patients reported significantly higher levels of symptom distress. Distress levels increased with time after transplant. Investigating responses to immunosuppression-related symptom experiences should help develop interventional methods to support long-term outcome.

Plasma noradrenaline and state anxiety levels predict placebo response in learned immunosuppression.

Large interindividual differences exist in the presence and extent of placebo responses in both experimental and clinical studies, but little is known about possible predictors of these responses. We employed a behaviorally conditioned immunosuppression paradigm in healthy men to analyze predictors of learned placebo responses. During acquisition, the subjects received either the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (n = 32) or a placebo (n = 14) (unconditioned stimuli (US)) together with a novel-tasting drink (conditioned stimulus (CS)). During evocation, the subjects were reexposed to the CS alone. In responders (n = 15), the CS alone caused a significant inhibition of interleukin (IL)-2 production by anti-CD3-stimulated peripheral blood T cells, closely mimicking the drug effect. Nonresponders (n = 17) did not show responses different from those of the controls. Multiple-regression analyses showed that baseline IL-2, plasma noradrenaline, and state anxiety predicted nearly 60% of the variance in the conditioned IL-2 response. These data provide first evidence for putative biological and psychological predictors of learned placebo responses.

Repeated recall of learned immunosuppression: evidence from rats and men.

Akin to other physiological responses, the immune system can be modified, via Pavlovian or behavioral conditioning. It is unknown, however, whether and to what extent learned immune responses can be repeatedly recalled over time. Here we demonstrate in both rats and humans that repeated contingent pairing of a novel taste (conditioned stimulus, CS) together with the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A as unconditioned stimulus (US) leads to the acquisition of a learned immunosuppression. Sole presentation of the CS caused a significant inhibition of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ production by rat splenic T cells and human peripheral T lymphocytes, closely mimicking the effect of the drug. More importantly, a comparable suppression of cytokine production was also observed after a second, unreinforced exposure to the CS that was separated from the first evocation by an interval of 6 (rats) or 11 (humans)days, respectively. Together, our findings demonstrate that a learned immunosuppression can be repeatedly recalled in both animals and humans, which is an important prerequisite for the implementation of conditioning paradigms as supportive therapy.

The psychometric properties and practicability of self-report instruments to identify medication nonadherence in adult transplant patients: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy is recognized as a key prognostic indicator for poor posttransplantation long-term outcomes. Several methods aiming to measure medication nonadherence have been suggested in the literature. Although combining measurement methods is regarded as the gold standard for measuring nonadherence, self-report is generally considered a central component of adherence assessment. However, no systematic review currently exists to determine which instrument(s) are most appropriate for use in transplant populations. METHODOLOGY: The transplant360 Task Force first performed a survey of the self-report adherence instruments currently used in European centers. Next, a systematic literature review of self-report instruments assessing medication adherence in chronically ill patients was conducted. Self-report instruments were evaluated to assess those which were: (a) short and easy to score; (b) assessed both the taking and timing of medication intake; and (c) had established reliability and validity. RESULTS: Fourteen instruments were identified from our survey of European centers, of which the Basel Assessment of Adherence Scale for Immunosuppressives met the aforementioned criteria. The systematic review found 20 self-report instruments, of which only two qualified for use in transplantation, that is, the Brief Antiretroviral Adherence Index and the Medication Adherence Self-Report Inventory. DISCUSSION: The three selected self-report scales may assist transplant professionals in detecting nonadherence. However, these scales were only validated in patients with HIV. Although HIV shares similar characteristics with transplantation, including the importance of taking and timing of medication, further validation in transplant populations is required.

Tacrolimus: review of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics to facilitate practitioners' understanding and offer strategies for educating patients and promoting adherence.

Kidney transplantation requires lifelong immunosuppression with agents that prevent allograft rejection. Immunosuppressive regimens typically include a steroid, an immune modulator (eg, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, or mycophenolate sodium), and a calcineurin inhibitor, either cyclosporine or tacrolimus. Tacrolimus is metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 in both the liver and small intestine. Drugs that are substrates of cytochrome P450 3A4, as well as inhibitors and inducers of cytochrome P450 3A4, can cause significant interactions with tacrolimus. A review of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus is important to enhance practitioners' understanding when using tacrolimus after kidney transplantation. It is also important to educate patients and their families about tacrolimus. Patients' adherence to this medication regimen is pivotal for allograft survival. A consistent and comprehensive approach to education and discharge teaching is a key component of adherence and the attainment of therapeutic drug levels. At Shands Jacksonville Transplant Center, discharge education and teaching tools aid the transplant professionals and facilitate patients' adherence. This in turn supports the goals of maintaining therapeutic serum levels of tacrolimus and improving renal allograft survival.

Health-related quality of life in adult transplant recipients more than 15 years after orthotopic liver transplantation.

With continuously rising survival rates following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of transplant recipients becomes increasingly important. Recipients more than 15 years after OLT were studied retrospectively. HRQOL in 104 adult liver transplant recipients surviving more than 15 years after OLT was assessed using the German Version of the 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Liver transplant recipients surviving more than 15 years after OLT scored lower in all categories of SF-36 revealing a poor HRQOL in comparison to the German reference population. A statistical significance was reached in almost all SF-36 categories with the exceptions of mental health and bodily pain, where our study population scored similarly to the reference population. Job rehabilitation after OLT had a positive effect on HRQOL. Patients who returned to their job during the first year after OLT scored significantly higher in the SF-36 categories of physical functioning and role physical. Marital status and the immunosuppression used didn't affect HRQOL as there was no statistical significance reached in any of the comparisons performed. More than 15 years after OLT, long-term survivors present a poor HRQOL comparable to the reference population. Occupational rehabilitation was the only factor shown to positively influence long-term HRQOL.

Adherence to immunosuppression: a prospective diary study.

Immunosuppression adherence among kidney transplant recipients is essential for graft survival. However, nonadherence is common, jeopardizing graft survival. Besides skipping dosages, little is known about other forms of medication nonadherence and their underlying reasons. This study sought to examine patients' extent of medication adherence over time and reasons for nonadherence. Thirty-nine new kidney transplant recipients were asked to complete a month-long medication-taking diary that included reporting medication nonadherence such as skipped medications, medications taken early or late, taking dosages greater or less than prescribed, and the reason for each occurrence of nonadherence. Of the 20 (51%) patients who completed the diary, 11 (55%) reported at least 1 form of nonadherence. Eleven patients reported taking their immunosuppression at least 1 hour later than the prescribed time, 1 patient reported skipping medication, but no patients reported changing the dosage on their own. Immunosuppression was taken on average 1.5 hours after the prescribed time. Of those patients who took their medications late, there were on average 3.1 occasions of taking it late. The most common reasons for this behavior included health care-related issues, followed by oversleeping, being away from home, work-related barriers, and forgetting. The majority of kidney transplant recipients took medications later than prescribed during 1 month. Future research should determine the clinical impact on graft function of late administration of immunosuppression. Interventions should be designed to better assist kidney recipients with taking medications on time, especially when they are away from home.

A delicate balance: negotiating renal transplantation, immunosuppression and adherence to medical regimen.

Despite the volume of biomedical and psychosocial discourse surrounding both renal transplantation and the immune system, there is a limit to current understandings of immunosuppression in the context of kidney transplantation. For example, we do not know how the immunosuppressed renal transplant recipient experiences and understands their immune system and body. In addition, we do not know if the patient is as fixated on ;graft survival' as their healthcare team or whether other concerns are more relevant. What is missing is the discourse of those who actually 'live' the medically altered immune system in the context of renal transplantation. We propose that this gap in knowledge is bound to an acknowledged problem among renal transplant recipients and their healthcare teams--a lack of compliance with recommended medical regimens. Our argument here is that an exploration of patient intimacy with transplant-related immunosuppression might illuminate a different understanding of this experience that could enhance health professionals' understanding and their subsequent approach to treatment. We contend that the embodied and contextual experience of the patient needs to be equally valued in order to enhance patient outcomes.