title: Adherence to chronic hepatitis C treatment regimen: first report from a referral center in iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various aspects of adherence to HCV treatment such as frequency, risk factors as well as causes of non-adherence, and its real role in clinical and virological outcome of the infected patients have remained largely unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to evaluate patients' adherence to anti-HCV medications in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 2010 to March 2011, socio-demographic characteristics, features of HCV infection, clinical properties, and habitual history of 190 patients were collected. Adherence of each patient to anti-HCV medications was determined at months 1, 3, and 6 of treatment by self-reporting and pill or empty ampoule counting. Adherence to anti-HCV treatment regimen was determined based on the 80/80/80 rule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adherence rate to interferon, ribavirin, or a combination of them over the first 6 months of therapy in Iranian HCV patients measured by both methods of self-reporting and pill counting were 35.4-65.8%, 46.3-56.8%, and 28.4-51.1%, respectively. Delay in receiving new prescription, financial issues, and adverse drug reactions were the most common causes of non-adherence in the patients. Adherence to ribavirin was identified as an independent predictor of achieving the end of treatment response, or sustained virological response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of adherence to interferon and ribavirin varied significantly according to the method of calculation. Over the treatment course, adherence to interferon alpha and ribavirin, each or their combination, diminished significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeedeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravi
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasiri Toosi
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karimzadeh
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahadi-Barzoki
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khalili
keywords: Hepatitis C, Chronic; Iran; Medication Adherence
references.citation: Hepat Res Treat. 2010;2010:702748
references.pmid: 21188199
references.citation: J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2000 Jun;15(6):581-6
references.pmid: 10921409
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2004 Jul 29;351(5):451-9
references.pmid: 15282352
references.citation: AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2002 Dec;16(12):599-608
references.pmid: 12542933
references.citation: Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Sep;19(9):741-7
references.pmid: 17700258
references.citation: Lancet. 2001 Sep 22;358(9286):958-65
references.pmid: 11583749
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2007 Jan;132(1):103-12
references.pmid: 17241864
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2002 Dec 15;31 Suppl 3:S103-6
references.pmid: 12562030
references.citation: Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2012 Aug;14(8):466-9
references.pmid: 23105981
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2008 Aug 1;28(3):289-93
references.pmid: 19086329
references.citation: Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Jan;40(1):74-82
references.pmid: 16368925
references.citation: Hepat Mon. 2012 Sep;12(9):e6151
references.pmid: 23087759
references.citation: Arch Iran Med. 2010 Jul;13(4):306-12
references.pmid: 20597564
references.citation: Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2011 Jan;22(1):1-9
references.pmid: 21196607
references.citation: JAMA. 2002 Jul 24-31;288(4):455-61
references.pmid: 12132975
references.citation: Int J Infect Dis. 2010 Sep;14 Suppl 3:e113-6
references.pmid: 20362479
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Oct 28;14(40):6195-203
references.pmid: 18985810
references.citation: Gut. 2006 Sep;55(9):1350-9
references.pmid: 16905701
references.citation: JAMA. 2004 Dec 15;292(23):2839-48
references.pmid: 15598915
references.citation: Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2005 Apr;3(2):241-9
references.pmid: 15918781
references.citation: Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2012 May;7(2):111-115
references.pmid: 22432842
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1998 Nov 19;339(21):1485-92
references.pmid: 9819446
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2005 Apr 1;38(4):445-8
references.pmid: 15764962
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2005 May 23;165(10):1147-52
references.pmid: 15911728
references.citation: Hepatology. 2002 Nov;36(5 Suppl 1):S1-2
references.pmid: 12407571
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2004 Jul 29;351(5):438-50
references.pmid: 15282351
references.citation: Hepatology. 2009 Apr;49(4):1335-74
references.pmid: 19330875
references.citation: Liver Int. 2009 Jan;29 Suppl 1:74-81
references.pmid: 19207969
references.citation: Mol Aspects Med. 2008 Feb-Apr;29(1-2):85-95
references.pmid: 18177700
references.citation: Intervirology. 2008;51(1):1-6
references.pmid: 18309242
references.citation: Hepatology. 2002 Jun;35(6):1522-7
references.pmid: 12029639
references.citation: AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2006 May;22(5):393-400
references.pmid: 16706615
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2002 Sep 26;347(13):975-82
references.pmid: 12324553
references.citation: Ann Intern Med. 2011 Sep 20;155(6):353-60
references.pmid: 21930852
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2002 Oct;123(4):1061-9
references.pmid: 12360468
references.citation: J Viral Hepat. 2009 Aug;16(8):586-94
references.pmid: 19552664
references.citation: Liver Int. 2010 Sep;30(8):1173-80
references.pmid: 20629950
references.citation: Ann Pharmacother. 2007 Jul;41(7):1116-23
references.pmid: 17519299
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Jul;30(1):14-27
references.pmid: 19416131
references.citation: J Hepatol. 2011 Aug;55(2):245-64
references.pmid: 21371579
references.citation: Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jan;5(1):124-9
references.pmid: 17196435
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2009 Apr 15;50(5):529-36
references.pmid: 19223785