title: Adherence to Monitoring Tests in Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Lebanon.
abstract: The present study was performed to determine whether the adherence to regular follow-up assessments using standardized real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and/or cytogenetic tests in Lebanese patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) meet the European LeukemiaNet recommendations. The present study was a retrospective analysis of 34 patients diagnosed with chronic phase CML who had been treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monitored with regular cytogenetic tests and/or measurement of the BCR-ABL transcript level at 3, 6, and 12 months from 2006 until 2015 in 3 university hospitals in Lebanon. All patients were included and monitored in an adherence program (SAWA program). The male/female ratio was 3:1. The median age was 50 years, and the mean age was 50 years. As frontline treatment, 29 patients started imatinib and 5 patients received second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We defined compliance to the monitoring tests as regulary realizing the qPCR at 3, 6, and 12 months. Of the 36 patients, 15 underwent the recommended tests at 3, 6, and 12 months, representing a compliance rate of 41.6%; 28 of the 34 patients underwent the recommended tests only twice in the first follow-up year. Only 14 patients underwent qPCR at 3 months. We believe that despite the inclusion of our patients in an adherence program, the compliance rate is still low. We also believe that greater effort is required to improve the adherence to regular follow-up examinations.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik Medical School, Kaslik, Lebanon, and University Hospital Center Notre Dame de Secours, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massoud
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University Medical School, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik Medical School, Kaslik, Lebanon, and University Hospital Center Notre Dame de Secours, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Riwa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakr
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik Medical School, Kaslik, Lebanon, and University Hospital Center Notre Dame de Secours, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hawi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik Medical School, Kaslik, Lebanon, and University Hospital Center Notre Dame de Secours, Byblos, Lebanon. Electronic address: fouadkerbage@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kerbage
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University Medical School, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chahine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010349:Patient Compliance; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
keywords: CML; Compliance; Cytogenetic; Molecular tests; Monitoring