Nonmodifiable characteristics associated with nonadherence to immunosuppressant therapy in renal transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
Relationships between adherence to immunosuppressant therapy and adult renal transplant recipients' age, time posttransplant, race, and sex were evaluated to identify factors that predict nonadherence.


METHODS
Pharmacy refill data were used to measure adherence. In a primary analysis, stepwise regression was used to assess the relationship between independent variables (age, sex, time posttransplant, and race) and adherence. In a secondary analysis to provide categorical summaries, stepwise regression was used to assess the relationship between independent variables (age quartiles, sex, time posttransplant quartiles, and race) and adherence.


RESULTS
In the primary analysis, age and time posttransplant were significant predictors of adherence rate (p < 0.05), with adherence rate decreasing as age and time posttransplant increased. In the secondary analysis, age quartile 4 (>or=60 years) and time posttransplant quartile 1 (<or=4 years) were significant predictors of adherence (p < 0.01), with adherence rates lower among age quartile 4 and higher among posttransplant quartile 1.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients who had received renal transplants, the rate of adherence to immunosuppressant therapy decreased as patient age and time since transplantation increased.
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy (UACP), Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. chisholm@pharmacy.arizona.edu
Marie A
MA
Chisholm-Burns
W Jaqueline
WJ
Kwong
Laura L
LL
Mulloy
Christina A
CA
Spivey
D000328:Adult; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents