TY - JOUR T1 - Treatment adherence and unmet needs at hospital pharmacy for the care of Spanish patients with multiple sclerosis JF - European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy: Science and Practice JO - Eur J Hosp Pharm SP - 20 LP - 25 DO - 10.1136/ejhpharm-2012-000183 VL - 20 IS - 1 AU - Emilio Monte-Boquet AU - Laura Lorente-Fernández AU - Ignacio Cardona-Pascual AU - Miguel Ángel Conesa-Muñoz AU - María Fernández-Pacheco AU - Javier García-Fernández AU - Ana García-Monsalve AU - María Olatz Ibarra-Barrueta AU - Aitziber Illaro-Uranga AU - Luís Margusino-Framiñán AU - Jesús Mayorga-Pérez AU - Isabel Moya-Carmona AU - Paula Pérez-Puente AU - María Ángeles Porta-Sánchez AU - Inmaculada Ramírez-Alapont AU - Patricia Sanmartín-Fenollera AU - Elena Victoria Tortajada-Esteban AU - José Ramón Vizoso-Hermida AU - Sheila Mora-García AU - on behalf of the EMHOPHAR Study Group Y1 - 2013/02/01 UR - http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/20/1/20.abstract N2 - Objective To assess unmet needs at hospital pharmacies and treatment adherence of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Methods A non-interventional and multicentre study involving 24 pharmacies that included 237 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) or secondary progressive MS (SPMS) treated with DMTs. Pharmacists completed a questionnaire on management and needs. Adherence was assessed using the Morisky-Green test. Results The mean age of patients was 40.1±9.4 years (65.8% women). The average time from diagnosis was 7.5±5.6 years, 95.4% had RRMS and 61.2% had no relapses during the last year. Most patients (62.4%) had Expanded Disability Status Scale grade 0–2.5. Overall adherence was 77.1%. Treatment adherence was significantly higher among patients with no relapses (82.9% vs 67.4%, p<0.05) and among those ≥40 years old (85.1% vs 68.3%, p<0.05). 21.1% of pharmacies did not have adequate educational materials and in 16% of cases there was no proper space to assure confidentiality. A specific protocol to monitor adverse events only existed in 21% of pharmacies and to monitor adherence in 32%. Major unmet needs for pharmacists were educational materials, adherence training, staff shortages and increased workload. There was a trend towards lower adherence at hospitals with a higher workload (68.6% vs 80.2%) and with a lack of educational materials (75.2% vs 84.6%). In 19.8% of cases there was a discrepancy between pharmacist perception of adherence and the Morisky-Green test. Conclusions It is necessary to improve educational materials and operational protocols regarding workload at hospital pharmacies to provide adequate follow-up and to ensure adherence by Spanish patients with MS. ER -