Global adherence to pharmacotherapeutic treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis / Adherencia global al tratamiento farmacoterapéutico en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple

Objective: To measure the indirect adherence of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to their pharmacological treatments, comparing medication for the disease itself with the other concomitant treatments that have been chronically prescribed.Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive (November 2018) study at the Pharmacy Department of a spanish secondary hospital in Valencian Community. Study population is all those patients diagnosed with MS in its different variants, who are being treated with hospital dispensing drugs for a minimum of six months at the time of the study. The variable evaluated was the percentage of adherence of patients to their medication, which has been measured as the ratio between the doses of prescribed drugs and those dispensed; considering adherent to all patients with a percentage equal to or higher than 80%.Results: The study included 86 patients from the Pharmacy External Outpatient Unit. The average exposure time to drugs was 198.7±27.9 days, where the adherence to treatment of multiple sclerosis was 98.1±6.6% and that of the rest of the chronic medication concomitant 92.8±19.5%.Conclusions: Adherence to pharmacological treatments in this population has been very high. Patients have shown greater adherence to drugs dispensed at Pharmacy External Outpatient Unit, possibly because they consider the rest of medication less important and/or to treat milder comorbidities or pathologies. (AU)

Objetivos: Evaluar la adherencia indirecta de los pacientes con esclerosis múltiple (EM) a sus tratamientos farmacológicos, comparando la medicación para esta enfermedad entre los diferentes fármacos, y con el resto de tratamientos concomitantes prescritos por el médico de manera crónica.Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal (noviembre 2018) en el Servicio de Farmacia de un hospital secundario español de la Comunidad Valenciana. La población de estudio son todos aquellos pacientes diagnosticados con EM en sus diferentes variantes, que están siendo tratados con medicamentos dispensados desde el hospital, durante un periodo mínimo de seis meses. La variable evaluada fue el porcentaje de adherencia de los pacientes a su medicación, que se midió como la relación entre las dosis de los medicamentos prescritos y aquellos dispensados; considerando adherente a todos los pacientes con un porcentaje igual o superior al 80%.Resultados: Se incluyó a 86 pacientes desde la Unidad de Pacientes Externos del Servicio de Farmacia. El tiempo promedio de exposición a los fármacos para la EM fue de 198,7±27,9 días, observando una adherencia al tratamiento de 98,1±6,6% y una adherencia al resto de la medicación crónica concomitante de 92,8±19,5%.Conclusiones: La adherencia a los tratamientos farmacológicos en esta población ha sido muy alta. Los pacientes han mostrado una mayor adherencia a los medicamentos dispensados en la Unidad de Pacientes Externos del Servicio de Farmacia, posiblemente porque consideran que el resto de la medicación es menos importante y/o para tratar comorbilidades o patologías más leves. (AU)

Evaluación de lenalidomida en el tratamiento del mieloma múltiple, la mielofibrosis y el síndrome mielodisplásico / Assessing lenalidomide for treating multiple myeloma, myelofibrosis and myelodysplastic syndrome

Objetivo La lenalidomida (LDM) es un agente inmunomodulador y antiangiogénico que ha demostrado su eficacia en varios trastornos hematológicos (mieloma múltiple [MM], metaplasma mieloide con mielofibrosis [MF] y síndrome mielodisplásico [SMD]). El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la efectividad y la tolerabilidad de la LDM en nuestros pacientes. Método Estudio retrospectivo observacional que incluyó a los pacientes de nuestro hospital en seguimiento por la consulta de Hematología que fueron diagnosticados de MM, MF y SMD, y que eran candidatos a recibir tratamiento con LDM. La evaluación de la eficacia se realizó transcurridos aproximadamente 4 ciclos desde el inicio del tratamiento. Resultados Desde febrero de 2007 hasta marzo de 2008 fueron 16 los pacientes candidatos a recibir tratamiento con LDM (50% mujeres, 50% varones, con una edad media de 69,6 años), aunque 3 de ellos no llegaron a iniciarlo. De los 6 pacientes con MM tratados en nuestro hospital, 5 de ellos obtuvieron algún tipo de respuesta (83,3%). De los 4 pacientes con MF, 2 (66,6%) experimentaron algún tipo de respuesta al tratamiento. De los 6 pacientes diagnosticados de SMD, únicamente se inició el tratamiento en 3, y en 2 de ellos se tuvo que suspender por distintas causas. Destacamos que únicamente hubo que suspender el tratamiento en dos de los 13 pacientes que lo iniciaron (15,4%) por los efectos adversos. Conclusión La LDM consigue, con buena tolerancia, beneficio clínico mantenido sobre todo en el MM y la MF. Son necesarios más estudios que profundicen en la duración del tratamiento, en nuevas indicaciones y en el uso de tratamientos combinados con otros agentes (AU)

Objective Lenalidomide (LDM) is an immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic drug which has been shown to be effective in several haematological disorders (multiple myeloma [MM], myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis [MF] and myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS]). The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of LDM in our patients. Method Retrospective observational study which included patients at our hospital who were monitored by the haematology unit, diagnosed with MM, MF and MDS and candidates for LDM treatment. Treatment effectiveness was assessed after approximately 4 cycles of treatment. Results Between February 2007 and March 2008, 16 patients were listed as candidates for receiving treatment with LDM (50% female/50% male, with a mean age of 69.6 years); of these candidates, 3 never initiated treatment. Five of the six patients with MM treated at our hospital obtained some sort of response (83.3%). Of the 4 patients with MF, 2 (66.6%) experienced some sort of response to treatment. Of the 6 patients diagnosed with MDS, treatment was initiated in 3, and it had to be suspended in 2 cases due to different reasons. Treatment only had to be suspended in two of the 13 patients who began it (15.4%) due to adverse effects (AE).Conclusion LDM is well-tolerated and produces sustained clinical benefits, especially in MM and MF. More studies are needed for in-depth examination of treatment duration, new indications and the use of treatments combined with other drugs (AU)

[Assessing lenalidomide for treating multiple myeloma, myelofibrosis and myelodysplastic syndrome]. / Evaluación de lenalidomida en el tratamiento del mieloma múltiple, la mielofibrosis y el síndrome mielodisplásico.

OBJECTIVE: Lenalidomide (LDM) is an immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic drug which has been shown to be effective in several haematological disorders (multiple myeloma [MM], myeloid metaplasia with myelofibrosis [MF] and myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS]). The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of LDM in our patients. METHOD: Retrospective observational study which included patients at our hospital who were monitored by the haematology unit, diagnosed with MM, MF and MDS and candidates for LDM treatment. Treatment effectiveness was assessed after approximately 4 cycles of treatment. RESULTS: Between February 2007 and March 2008, 16 patients were listed as candidates for receiving treatment with LDM (50% female/50% male, with a mean age of 69.6 years); of these candidates, 3 never initiated treatment. Five of the six patients with MM treated at our hospital obtained some sort of response (83.3%). Of the 4 patients with MF, 2 (66.6%) experienced some sort of response to treatment. Of the 6 patients diagnosed with MDS, treatment was initiated in 3, and it had to be suspended in 2 cases due to different reasons. Treatment only had to be suspended in two of the 13 patients who began it (15.4%) due to adverse effects (AE). CONCLUSION: LDM is well-tolerated and produces sustained clinical benefits, especially in MM and MF. More studies are needed for in-depth examination of treatment duration, new indications and the use of treatments combined with other drugs.