Treatment adherence in renal transplant recipients: a questionnaire survey on immunosuppressants.
BACKGROUND
To achieve a high graft survival rate, patient adherence to immunosuppressive therapy is critical. It is extremely difficult to establish the actual adherence status of transplant recipients; only a few surveys on the issue have been performed in Japan.


METHODS
We conducted a questionnaire survey mainly on treatment adherence to calcineurin inhibitors among renal transplant recipients.


RESULTS
The survey demonstrated some degree of nonadherence in a relatively high percentage of the patients. The adherence rate was significantly lower for the evening than the morning dose (McNemar test, P < .001). It significantly decreased with time following transplantation for both the morning and the evening doses (logistic regression analysis, P = .025 and <.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunosuppressive treatment places a substantial burden on patients, some of whom cannot continue regular treatment at specified time points due to daily life restrictions after they have returned to work.
Ichimaru
N
N
Department of Specific Organ Regulation (Urology), Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. ichimaru@uro.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kakuta
Y
Y
Abe
T
T
Okumi
M
M
Imamura
R
R
Isaka
Y
Y
Nonomura
N
N
Kojima
Y
Y
Okuyama
A
A
Takahara
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents