title: Adherence to treatment in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out if patients with multiple sclerosis adhere to treatment with beta interferons and glatiramer acetate, the percentage of withdrawal and its causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, longitudinal, prospective, national, multicentre study which selected multiple sclerosis patients who attended the hospital pharmacy department to collect their medication. The main variable was the adherence percentage during a year, measured as the relationship between the dose of the dispensed and necessary drug. Treatment withdrawals and their causes were then measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a six-month period, 543 patients from 39 pharmacy departments were included. The average time exposed to the drugs during the study period was 312 days and the average adherence in this period was 61.5% (95% CI: 59.4-63.5). Thirty-four (6.26%) of the 543 study participants withdrew treatment, which for most cases was decided by the doctor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple sclerosis patients' treatment adherence during a period of one year has been lower than the ideal. The causes should therefore be analysed and corrective measures established.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, España. msantolaya.hupa@salud.madrid.org
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santolaya Perrín
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Pacheco García Valdecasas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arteche Eguizabal
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gema Pérez Pérez
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muñoz Muñoz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ibarra Barrueta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Callejón Callejón
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010455:Peptides; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a