Sánchez R, Baillès E, Bastidas A, Serrano L, Pérez-Villa F, Castel MÁ, Pintor L. A New Quantitative Approach to Assessing Noncompliance With Medical Recommendations in Heart Transplant Recipients.
Transplant Proc 2016;
48:2178-80. [PMID:
27569967 DOI:
10.1016/j.transproceed.2016.05.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Failure of compliance with medical regimen is one of the major risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality in heart transplant (HT) recipients. Nevertheless, to date, there is no specific, gold-standard, comprehensive set of tools for assessing compliance in these patients.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to develop a specific instrument for the assessment of noncompliance with medical recommendations in HT recipients.
METHODS
This prospective observational study used a nonprobability sampling method, which was performed from January 2006 to December 2012. All of the patients met clinical criteria for being included on the waiting list for a HT. We designed a scale for measuring the compliance degree at 12 months after heart transplantation. This scale included the most important aspects of the medical regimen, using nine discrete quantitative variables. The total score was described as the patient's Noncompliance Factor (NCF). The results were analysed by mean, ranks, and percentages.
RESULTS
The sample was constituted of 61 participants who underwent surgical HT intervention and completed the 12-month follow-up assessment. The overall incidence of noncompliance was around 30% and only 43.1% of the recipients had an acceptable degree of compliance.
CONCLUSIONS
The overall incidence of noncompliance in HT recipients is high and this can generate worse clinical outcomes. Evaluation by specific screening instruments like the one proposed in the present study can be useful for a systematic detection of this phenomenon.
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