title: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia: are Egyptian children adherent to maintenance therapy?
abstract: BACKGROUND, AIMS, SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Poor adherence to oral maintenance chemotherapy can cause relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A multicenter study for the evaluation of adherence to oral 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) maintenance chemotherapy for childhood ALL in Egypt to identify contributing factors and possible steps to promote adherence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 129 children with ALL in complete remission receiving 6-MP single daily oral dose in the evening. Evaluation was done through specific questionnaires for the patients as well as serum 6-MP measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nonadherence was detected in around 56% by questionnaires and around 50% by serum 6-MP level measurement. There was a highly significant correlation between nonadherence as found by the questionnaire and 6-MP level (P - 0.001). Nonadherence was significantly associated with low socioeconomic standard, noneducation and low educational level and large family size by both methods. High cost to come for follow-up visits was significant by questionnaire but not by 6-MP measurement. Adolescent age, the higher number of siblings, lack of written instructions, long time spent per visit, were all associated with higher rates of nonadherence, although none reached statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonadherence is a real problem in pediatric patients. Specific questionnaires can be an excellent reliable method for the routine follow-up of these children, and drug level assay can be requested only for confirmation. This protocol is especially effective in developing countries where financial resources may be limited. Every effort should be made to uncover its true incidence, contributing factors, and best methods of intervention.
authors: Elhamy Rifky Abdel
authors: ER
authors: Khalek
authors: Laila M
authors: LM
authors: Sherif
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Naglaa Mohamed
authors: NM
authors: Kamal
authors: Amal F
authors: AF
authors: Gharib
authors: H M
authors: HM
authors: Shawky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012074:Remission Induction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires