Symptom experience associated with immunosuppressive drugs after liver transplantation in adults: possible relationship with medication non-compliance?

Authors: Drent, G.¹; Moons, P.²; De Geest, S.³; Kleibeuker, J.H.¹; Haagsma, E.B.¹

Source: Clinical Transplantation, Volume 22, Number 6, November/December 2008 , pp. 700-709(10)

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $48.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Drent G, Moons P, De Geest S, Kleibeuker JH, Haagsma EB. Symptom experience associated with immunosuppressive drugs after liver transplantation in adults: possible relationship with medication non-compliance?

Symptom experience (occurrence and perceived distress) associated with side effects of immunosuppressive medications in organ transplant patients may well be associated with poorer quality of life and medication non-compliance. The aims of this study were: first, to assess symptom experience in clinically stable adult patients during long-term follow-up after liver transplantation; and second, to study the relationship between symptom experience and medication non-compliance. This cross-sectional study included 123 liver transplant patients. Symptom experience was assessed using the “Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Symptom Distress Scale” (29-item version) at the annual evaluation. According to the duration of follow-up, patients were divided into a short-term (1-4 yr) and a long-term (5-18 yr) cohort. Medication non-compliance was measured using electronic monitoring. Results showed that increased hair growth was the most frequent symptom in both sexes. Symptom distress was more serious in women than in men. The most distressing symptom in women was excessive and/or painful periods, while in men this was impotence. Clear differences were revealed at item level between symptom occurrence and symptom distress in relationship with the two time cohorts and between sexes. No relationship was found between symptom experience and prednisolone non-compliance.

Keywords: liver transplantation; medication non-compliance; non-adherence; side effect immunosuppression; symptom experience

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-0012.2008.00864.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands 2: Center for Health Services and Nursing Research, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 3: Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

Publication date: 2008-11-01

Symptom experience associated with immunosuppressive drugs after liver transplantation in adults: possible relationship with medication non-compliance?

Buy & download fulltext article:

Tools

Key

Text size:

Useful pages