Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of adherence to prescribed medications in children with Crohn disease and to identify possible factors associated with nonadherence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 51 pediatric patients with Crohn disease who were prescribed maintenance therapy with a thiopurine immunomodulator (6-mercaptopurine or azathioprine) and/or mesalamine during a 180-day period. Medication adherence rates were calculated from a validated formula using pharmacy records, and nonadherence was defined as a refill rate of <80% of the prescribed medication. Seventy-five percent of patients were prescribed thiopurine immunomodulators and 86% were prescribed mesalamine. RESULTS: The prevalence of nonadherence was 50% for the thiopurine immunomodulators and 66% for mesalamine. The mean number of emergency department visits for patients adherent to mesalamine was significantly greater than the nonadherent group (P < 0.0008). Having an emergency department visit increased the chances of a patient being adherent to mesalamine therapy by >9-fold (odds ratio, 9.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-52.17). The mean number of total health care visits was significantly greater for patients adherent to mesalamine (6.1 ± 0.8) compared with those who were not adherent (3.0 ± 0.4) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that nonadherence to thiopurine immunomodulator or mesalamine therapy in pediatric patients with Crohn disease is common. Having a health care visit was associated with being adherent.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 180-184 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition |
Volume | 44 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2007 |
Keywords
- 6-Mercaptopurine
- Adherence
- Azathioprine
- Child
- Compliance
- Crohn disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Medication
- Mesalamine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Gastroenterology