DI-043 Evaluation of therapeutic adherence and related factors in patients affected by multiple sclerosis. (14th February 2016) - Boselli, C
Abstract : Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a pathology with a high index of complexity and an ever rising epidemiological trend. Following a recent decision, in the Piedmont region, in order to fulfil the patient's therapy, pharmacy distribution for the treatment of MS was switched partly to the territorial pharmacy and partly to prescription centres. Purpose: An epidemiological and cognitive investigation was carried out to check therapeutic adherence, age at diagnosis, age distribution of patients, side effects or tolerance to the drug, compliance and capacity to do physical activity. Material and methods: The list of patients that received the therapy in the period February to April 2015 was extrapolated from our gestational database: 180 patients were admitted to the survey. A questionnaire was perfomred by telephone interview and informed patient consent was acquired beforehand. Results: 180 patients participated in the study. This analysis showed that: 29% were male and 71% were female. Age distribution was: 1% <20 years old, 25% 21–40 years old, 65% 41–60 years old and 9% >60 years old. Age at diagnosis was: 63% were 20–40 years old, 30% 41–60 years old and 7% <20 years old. 45% of the population took interferon-1a, 23% glatimer acetate 15% interferon-1b and 11% fingolimod. In the period analysed, 6% of patients did not pick up therapy and 50% of patients switched more than one drug from diagnosis. The change in therapy was due to side effects or tolerance to the drug, or insufficient efficacy. Good compliance was declared by 93% of patients; the remaining 7% had poor therapeutic adherence, mainly due to difficulties in administering the drug or accepting the disease. No deterioration in disease was reported by 70% of patients. Sport was done by 55% of patients, 45% of patients could not do any physical activity: of these 32% declared lack of time and laziness, the others declared health problems such as deambulation disorders (47%), fatigue (14%) or paralysis (7%). Conclusion: The majority of patients surveyed declared they conducted a normal life, despite the fact that MS is a debilitating and progressive disease. In conclusion, the commercialised therapies satisfactorily controlled disease activity even though there was no curative therapy. Better tolerability profiles and better ways of administering the drugs will be revealed by the research. References and/or Acknowledgements: Prot. RP13413/DB2000 del 22.05.13: Modalità di erogazione dei farmaci per la terapia della Sclerosi Multipla No conflict of interest.