Nonadherence to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and immunosuppressive (IS) medications was common and was associated with significantly higher subsequent acute care utilization, according to a study of 9,600 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were new HCQ users and 3,829 patients who were new IS users. Researchers measured adherence using the medication possession ration (MPR), the proportion of days covered by total days supply dispensed and found:

• The mean MPR was 47.8% for HCQ and 42.7% for IS.

• Nonadherence rates were 79% for HCQ and 83% for IS.

• Nonadherent HCQ users were 1.55 times more likely to visit an emergency room and 1.37 times more likely to require hospitalizations than adherers.

• Nonadherent IS users were 1.64 times more likely to visit an emergency room and 1.67 times more likely to require hospitalizations than adherers.

Citation: Kavanaugh A, Puig L, Gottlieb AB, et al. Medication nonadherence is associated with increased subsequent acute care utilization among medicaid beneficiaries with systemic lupus erythematosus. [Published online ahead of print June 19, 2015]. Arthritis Care Res. doi: 10.1002/acr.22645.