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Kidney Week

Abstract: TH-PO984

Patient and Provider Perceptions of Medication Safety Issues in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients

Session Information

Category: Transplantation

  • 1702 Transplantation: Clinical and Translational

Authors

  • Hamidi, Bashir, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
  • Taber, David J., Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Background

Medication safety adverse events (AEs), which include non-adherence to drug regimens and adverse drug events, are associated with graft loss following transplantation. Although kidney transplant recipients are considered high-risk for developing these issues, there are limited studies analyzing long-term patient and provider perceptions of medication safety issues in this population.

Methods

This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 176 stable kidney transplant recipients which assessed patient self-reported medication adherence and adverse drug events through surveys and compared these to blinded provider assessments occurring during a coinciding routine clinic visit.

Results

In the 176 patients, self-reported medication adherence was 38%, 45%, and 17% for high, medium, and low categories, as measured by a validated survey. AEs were common, with 96% of patients reporting at least one and a mean of 5.9 AEs per patient-visit across the entire study population. Self-reported AE burden was significantly correlated with medication non-adherence with a one unit increase in self-reported patient AE burden (measured by the validated Memphis score) increasing the odds of patients being in a lower adherence category by a factor of 1.35 (CI 1.13 to 1.62, P<0.001). The analysis of clinic assessments revealed that providers only assessed 49% of participants to have at least one AE, with a mean count of 0.8 per patient-visit. Patient self-reported AE burden had a weak positive correlation (Kendall tau= 0.15, P=0.008) with providers’ assessment of patient AEs during routine visits.

Conclusion

These results indicate a significant relationship between between AE burden and medication adherence in kidney transplantation. Further, providers tended to under-assess medication AEs during routine clinic visits, when compared to patient assessments. Improving recognition and management of AEs in kidney transplant recipients may impact medication adherence.

Funding

  • NIDDK Support