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Medication Adherence’s Impact on Outcomes in MM
Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk; ePub 2018 Feb 3; Gupta, et al
People with multiple myeloma are prone to experience significant workplace and functional impairment, high out of pocket costs, and frequent office visits, researchers concluded after conducting a cross-sectional study involving 162 individuals. Adherence to therapy can blunt the impact. Participants with multiple myeloma were divided into 2 groups according to their medication adherence scores. They completed 3 surveys, including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Multiple Myeloma (FACT-MM): Among the results:
- FACT-MM scores averaged 98.5.
- Absenteeism and presenteeism averaged 18% and 52%, respectively.
- Work productivity and activity impairment averaged 57% and 50%, respectively.
- Out-of-pocket costs averaged ~$700 in the prior 3 months.
- Patients spent an average of ~7 hours in monthly appointments with clinicians.
- Patients with high medication adherence had higher FACT-MM scores.
- Those with lower medication adherence reported greater activity impairment and were more apt to be overwhelmed/frustrated with appointment rescheduling.
Gupta S, Abouzaid S, Liebert R, Parikh K, Ung B, Rosenberg A. Assessing the effect of adherence on patient-reported outcomes and out of pocket costs among patients with multiple myeloma. [Published online ahead of print February 3, 2018]. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. doi:10.1016/j.clml.2018.01.006.