Treatment Satisfaction With and Adherence to Disease‐Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs in Adult Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

• Published in: Arthritis care & research (2010) 2021-02, Vol.73 (2), p.221-231
• Main Authors: Tollisen, Anita, Flatø, Berit, Selvaag, Anne M., Aasland, Astrid, Ingebrigtsen, Trude, Sagen, Joachim, Lerdal, Anners
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antirheumatic Agents - adverse effects; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis; Arthritis, Juvenile - diagnosis; Arthritis, Juvenile - drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Health Status; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Joint diseases; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medication Adherence; Methotrexate; Methotrexate - adverse effects; Methotrexate - therapeutic use; Patient Satisfaction; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Side effects; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2151-464X; 2151-4658
• DOI: 10.1002/acr.24113

Objective To examine medication satisfaction and adherence and their relationships to disease variables and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods Patients (n = 96, mean age 25 years, 67% female) completed questionnaires about their health status 19 years after disease onset. Patients receiving biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) or methotrexate (MTX) were assessed with the 8‐item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS‐8) and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM), including dimensions of effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and global satisfaction. Results DMARDs were received by 52 patients (54%) (mean age 25 years, 75% female), of which 28 received MTX and 37 received bDMARDs. Patients receiving combination therapy of MTX and bDMARDs (n = 15) reported higher satisfaction with bDMARDs than MTX in the dimensions of side effects and global satisfaction (mean ± SD 92.9 ± 15.5 versus 56.2 ± 30.9, and mean ± SD 67.6 ± 19.8 versus 47.1 ± 21.7; P < 0.001 and P = 0.016, respectively). Patients receiving either bDMARDs (n = 22) or MTX (n = 13) reported higher satisfaction with bDMARDs than MTX for the dimensions of effectiveness and global satisfaction (mean ± SD 78.7 ± 15.4 versus 60.2 ± 19.9, and mean ± SD 73.6 ± 17.7 versus 52.3 ± 23.9; P = 0.004 and P = 0.005, respectively). Nearly one‐half of patients (46%) reported low adherence (MMAS‐8 score