Evaluation of drug therapy problems, medication adherence and treatment satisfaction among heart failure patients on follow-up at a tertiary care hospital in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Drug therapy problems (DTPs) are major concerns of healthcare and have been identified to contribute to negative clinical outcomes. The occurrence of DTPs in heart failure patients is associated with worsening of outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess DTPs, associated factors and patient satisfaction among ambulatory heart failure patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). METHODS: A hospital based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 423 heart failure patients on follow up at TASH. Data was collected through patient interview and chart review. Descriptive statistics, binary and multiple logistic regressions were used for analyses and P < 0.05 was used to declare association. RESULTS: Majority of the patients were in NYHA class III (55.6%) and 66% of them had preserved systolic function. DTPs were identified in 291(68.8%) patients, with an average number of 2.51±1.07.per patient. The most common DTPs were drug interaction (27.3%) followed by noncompliance (26.2%), and ineffective drug use (13.7%). ß blockers were the most frequent drug class involved in DTPs followed by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The global satisfaction was 78% and the overall mean score of treatment satisfaction was 60.5% (SD, 10.5). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of DTPs as well as non-adherence among heart failure patients on follow up is relatively high. Detection and prevention of DTPs along with identifying patients at risk can save lives, help to adopt efficient strategies to closely monitor patients at risk, enhance patient's quality of life and optimize healthcare costs.

Predictors of poor glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes on follow-up care at a tertiary healthcare setting in Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: Contemporary clinical guidelines endorsed that glycemic control is the ultimate goal in the management patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of glycemic control and to identify predictors of poor glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A cross-sectional study was conducted among systematically selected 357 diabetic patients. Data were collected through direct patients' interviews and medical chart review. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: Participants' mean age was (± SD) 56.1 ± 11.6 years. Nearly four in five (77.9%) of the participants had comorbidities, mainly of hypertension, and 60.2% had diabetic complications, mainly diabetes neuropathy. Poor glycemic control was found in 68.3% of the participants with a mean (± SD) FBG of 174.1 ± 48.9 mg/dL. Being female gender, having greater body mass index and low medication adherence was significantly associated with poor glycemic control. In conclusion, the overall aspects of glycemic control level of patients were far from the standards. Being female, greater body mass index and poor medication adherence were predictors of poor glycemic control. In response to this finding, an aggressive intervention that targets in improving the glycemic control is required.

Quality of life and its predictors among patients with chronic kidney disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly being considered as an important measure of how disease affects patients' lives, especially for long-term diseases like chronic kidney disease (CKD). Even though there is no statistically significant association between stages of CKD and QoL, it is decreased in patients with early stages of the disease. Hence, this study aimed to assess QoL and its predictors among patients with CKD at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted at the nephrology clinic of TASH. A total of 256 patients were recruited through systematic random sampling. Data were collected using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Items (SF-36). The data were entered into Epi Info 7.2.2.2 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize patients' baseline characteristics. Student's unpaired t-test and ANOVA were conducted to compare two groups and more than two groups in the analysis of QoL, respectively. Multivariable linear regression was employed to investigate the potential predictors of QoL. RESULTS: Quality of life was decreased in all stages of CKD. A reduction in physical functioning (p = 0.03), bodily pain (p = 0.004), vitality (p = 0.019) and social functioning (p = 0.002) was observed progressively across stages of CKD. High income status and greater than 11g/dl hemoglobin level were found to be predictors of all high score SF-36 domains. High family income (ß 15.33; 95%CI: 11.33-19.33, p<0.001), higher educational status (ß 7.9; 95%CI: 4.10-11.66, p<0.001), and hemoglobin ≥11g/dl (ß 8.36; 95%CI: 6.31-10.41, p<0.001) were predictors of better QoL in the physical component summary, whereas absence of CKD complications (ß 2.75; 95%CI: 0.56-4.94, p = 0.014), high family income (ß 10.10; 95%CI: 5.10-15.10, p<0.001) and hemoglobin ≥11g/dl (ß 4.54, 95%CI: 2.01-7.08, p = 0.001) were predictors of better QoL in the mental component summary. CONCLUSION: In this setting, QoL decreased in CKD patients in the early stages of the disease. Study participants with low income and hemoglobin level were considered to have worse quality of life in both physical and mental component summaries.

Management practice, and adherence and its contributing factors among patients with chronic kidney disease at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital: A hospital-based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a complicated interrelationship with other diseases and major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therapeutic management for CKD patients is complicated due to co-morbidities and dominant risk factors of CKD. Non-adherence to treatment is an increasing problem for patients with CKD and it has not been extensively studied in patients with CKD. Hence, the present study was carried out to assess the management practice, medication adherence and factors affecting medication adherence in CKD patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the nephrology clinic of TASH. A total of 256 patients were recruited through systematic random sampling. Data were collected from medical records and interviewing patients. The degree of adherence was determined using eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. The data were entered into Epi Info 7.2.2.2 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize patients' baseline characteristics. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression were used to investigate the potential predictors of medication non-adherence. RESULTS: About 55% patients with hypertension only were treated with non-angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition based regimens; 57.3% of diabetes mellitus with hypertension treated with combination of insulin and ACEI based regimens. About three-fourth of patients with anemia and osteodystrophy complications were treated with iron preparations and calcium based phosphate binder. Only 61.3% of the study population were adherent to their treatment regimens. Forgetfulness (79.8%) was the major reason for medication non-adherence. Patients who had an average and high monthly income were 4.14 (AOR = 4.14, 95% CI: 1.45-11.84, p = 0.008) and 6.17 times (AOR = 6.17, 95% CI: 1.02-37.46, p = 0.048) more likely to adhere as compared to those who had very low income. Patients who were prescribed with ≥5 drugs were 0.46 times (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.27-1.10, p = 0.049) less likely to adhere compared to their counterpart. Patients who were students, drivers, teachers working in private school were about 7.46 times (AOR = 7.46, 95% CI: 1.49-37.26, p = 0.014) more likely to adhere compared with patients who were farmers. CONCLUSION: Insulin and ACEIs based regimens were the most frequently used regimens in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and hypertension co-morbidities. Very low income, increased number of prescribed medications and being a farmer were the predictors of medication non-adherence.

Treatment of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and ventriculitis caused by Acinetobacter baumannii: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) infections are a recognized problem in healthcare, causing ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and ventriculitis. Such infections are serious intracranial infection that can lead to serious complication and death. Treatment of infection caused by A. baumannii becomes difficult because of its inclination to develop pandrug resistance to the universally used antibiotics. In this case, we focused on pediatric ventriculitis/shunt infection caused by A. baumannii in an extensive follow-up and report the subsequent treatment outcome. Very limited information regarding the therapeutic options against A. baumannii ventriculitis/shunt infection is available in our hospital. Thus, we present one such case and the problems in its treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported the case of a 6-year-old Ethiopian boy who developed ventriculitis/shunt infection from the pandrug-resistant strain of A. baumannii, after decompression of a craniotomy for medulloblastoma. Following the surgical procedure, he had developed hydrocephalus and ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection/ventriculitis as he presented with persistent fever, elevated white blood cell count, reduced glucose level, and the cerebrospinal fluid culture revealed A. baumannii, which was not responding to most of commercially available antibiotics systemically. Our patient was successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam. CONCLUSIONS: We presented our case of pandrug-resistant A. baumannii ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and ventriculitis successfully treated with a systemic ampicillin-sulbactam. Provision of systemic ampicillin-sulbactam should not be undermined. Therefore, this case exemplifies that intravenous administration of ampicillin-sulbactam can be a good therapeutic option against A. baumannii ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection and ventriculitis.

Management Practice, and Adherence and Its Contributing Factors among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital: A Hospital Based Cross-Sectional Study.

The objective of this study was to assess the management practice, medication adherence, and factors affecting medication adherence in CKD patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the nephrology clinic of TASH. A total of 256 CKD (stages 1 and 2=50, stage 3=88, stage 4=55, and stage 5=63) patients were recruited through systematic random sampling. Data were collected from medical records and interviewing patients. The rate of adherence was determined using 8-item Morisky medication adherence scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were used to investigate the potential predictors of medication nonadherence. Results. About 57.3% of diabetes mellitus with hypertension were treated with combination of insulin and ACEI based regimens. Other cardiovascular comorbidities were predominantly treated with Acetyl Salicylic Acid in combination with ß-blocker. Only 61.3% (stages 1 and 2=70%, stage 3=73.9%, stage 4=54.5%, and stage 5=43%) of the study population were adherent to their treatment regimens. Forgetfulness (79.8%) was the major reason for medication nonadherence. Patients who had an average and high monthly income were 4.14 (AOR=4.14, 95% CI: 1.45-11.84, p=0.008) and 6.17 times (AOR=6.17, 95% CI: 1.02-37.46, p=0.048) more likely to adhere as compared to those who had very low income. Patients who were prescribed with ≥5 drugs were 0.46 times (AOR= 0.54, 95% CI: 0.27-1.10, p=0.049) less likely to adhere compared to their counterpart. Patients who were students, drivers, or teachers working in private school were about 7.46 times (AOR=7.46, 95% CI: 1.49-37.26, p=0.014) more likely to adhere compared with patients who were farmers. Conclusion. Insulin and ACEIs based regimens were the most frequently used regimens in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and hypertension comorbidities. Very low income, increased number of prescribed medications, and being a farmer were the predictors of medication nonadherence.