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4CPS-329 Do patients with immune mediated inflammatory diseases think they know their medication?
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  1. A Melgarejo-Ortuño,
  2. RM Romero Jiménez,
  3. E Chamorro De Vega,
  4. A Ais Larisgoitia,
  5. ME Lobato Matilla,
  6. S García Sánchez,
  7. A Narrillos Moraza,
  8. A Herranz Alonso,
  9. M Sanjurjo Saez
  1. Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Pharmacy, Madrid, Spain

Abstract

Background and importance Patients with immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) have complex treatment. This is due to biological treatments, other chronic treatments, such as immunosuppressors, and the high load of treatments.

Aim and objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of patients with IMID about their chronic medication and biological therapies (BT), as well as the sources of information used by the patients.

Material and methods A transversal study of patients with IMID treated with BT was conducted in February 2020. A survey was designed that included the following variables: sex, age, biological treatment, route of administration, duration of treatment, number of chronic drugs, interest in medication from diagnosis, source of information about medication in the last year and interest in acquiring more information about the medication.

Results 60 patients were interviewed, 53.3% men, median age 53.4 years (IQR 36.1–70.7). The diagnoses were: inflammatory bowel disease (46.7%), rheumatoid arthritis (25%), ankylosing spondylitis (11.7%), psoriasis (10%) and psoriatic arthritis (6.7%). BT used were: infliximab (40%), adalimumab (10%), ustekinumab (10%), vedolizumab (10%), abatacept (5%), etanercept (5%), tocilizumab (5%) and others (15.1%). The main routes of administration were intravenous (61.7%), subcutaneous (33.3%) and oral (5%). Duration of treatment was 2 years (IQR 0.4–5.9). Median number of chronic treatments was 3 (IQR 2–6). 50.0% of patients reported being more interested in their medication since diagnosis. 76.7% had sought some type of information about their BT: internet (67.4%), health professionals (63.0%), environment (30.4%), news (17.4%) and other (8.7%). Chronic medication: internet (62.5%), health professionals (46.9%), environment (15.6%), news (15.6%) and other (6.2%). 90.0% preferred knowing why they take each medication. Median score for knowledge of BT, on a scale of 0–10, was 7.0 (5.0–8.0), and for the rest of the treatment 6.0 (5.0–8.0). 56.7% of patients would like more information about their BT and 45.0% about other medications.

Conclusion and relevance Most patients considered that they were aware of the medications they were taking and had an increased interest from diagnosis. However, a high percentage sought information about their treatments, which highlights the high demand for information from patients. The internet was the most used source of information, which could be a point of pharmaceutical intervention.

Conflict of interest No conflict of interest

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