Adherence to immunosuppression in adult lung transplant recipients: Prevalence and risk factors
Abstract
Background Adherence to medication is a favourable with regard to survival after kidney, heart and liver transplantation. Little is known about adherence to medication in lung transplant recipients. To determine the prevalence of adherence and identify risk factors of non-adherence (NA) we evaluated adherence to tacrolimus in adult lung transplant recipients who were at least 1 year after transplantation. Methods Tacrolimus intake was prospectively monitored using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). Recipients qualified as adherent if a timing-adherence score of ≥ 80% was reached. Patients' characteristics and possible risk factors for NA were collected using the Karnofsky Performance Index, Self-Care Agency ASA Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Long-Term Medication Behavior Self-Efficacy Scale. Results Ninety-one recipients used MEMS for a median of 95 days (range 50 to 124 days) and were included. They showed a median timing-adherence score of 98.1% (range 31.2% to 100%). A timing-adherence score of ≥ 80% was seen in 92.3% of the recipients. Multiple logistic regression showed an association of lower timing-adherence scores with younger age and lower ability of self-care. Conclusions Adherence to immunosuppressive therapy was very high in lung transplant recipients. Only 7.7% of the recipients were non-adherent. Younger recipients and recipients with lower ability of self-care appeared to be at risk for NA. Follow-up of clinical data is needed to determine whether NA is associated with poorer outcome, specifically bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
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MEMS are considered the gold standard to assess adherence to immunosuppressants in clinical studies.
“MEMS[18,19] are considered the gold standard to assess adherence to immunosuppressants in clinical studies[20].”
From Adherence is associated with a favorable outcome after lung transplantation (2019) · cites this paper as [18]
Bosma and colleagues assessed adherence in LTx recipients using MEMS (median timing adherence 98.1%, range 31.2-100%) but did not report clinical outcome.
“Bosma and colleagues assessed adherence in LTx recipients using MEMS (median timing adherence 98.1%, range 31.2–100%), but did not report clinical outcome[18].”
From Adherence is associated with a favorable outcome after lung transplantation (2019) · cites this paper as [18]
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ResultAdherence is associated with a favorable outcome after lung transplantation
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- Authors
- Bosma, O. H., Vermeulen, K. M., Verschuuren, E. A., Erasmus, M. E., & van der Bij, W.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Bosma, Otto H.
- Venue
- The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-11
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1275-1280
- ISSN
- 1053-2498 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2033230947
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Medication Adherence and Compliance
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Transplantation: Methods and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Transplantation › Renal Transplantation Outcomes and Treatments
- Keywords
- medication adherence, lung transplantation, tacrolimus, immunosuppressive therapy, self-care ability, age, anxiety, depression, medication self-efficacy, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Bronchiolitis Obliterans, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Graft Rejection, Humans, Immunosuppression Therapy, Immunosuppressive Agents, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Patient Compliance, Prognosis, Risk Factors, Time Factors, Prevalence, Lung Transplantation, Young Adult
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