title: Characteristics of HIV patients referred to a medication adherence program in Switzerland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since August 2004, HIV patients who encounter -or are at risk of -problems with their antiretroviral treatment (ART) are referred by their physician to a medication adherence program at the community pharmacy of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine in Lausanne (Switzerland). The program combines motivational interviewing and electronic drug monitoring.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the demographic and clinical characteristics as well as ART of HIV patients referred to the adherence program versus those of the entire HIV population followed in the same infection disease department in the same time frame.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study. Study time frame was defined according to the period with the highest number of HIV patients visiting the adherence program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects included in the adherence program had more often a protease inhibitor-based regimen (64 %; 95 % CI [52-75 %] vs. 37 %) and lower CD4 cell counts (419 (252.0, 521.0); 95 % CI [305-472] vs. 500 (351.0, 720.0)) than the entire HIV population. A majority of women were included in the adherence program (66 %; 95 % CI [54-76 %] vs. 39% in the entire HIV population).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects referred to the adherence program were different from the entire HIV population and showed worse clinical outcomes and were more often under salvage therapy. More women than men were included. Reasons for such a difference need to be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Community Pharmacy Research Unit, Pharmaceutical Sciences Section, Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krummenacher
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cavassini
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bugnon
authors.forename: Marie P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents