Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2006 , Vol 52 , Num 4

Factors Affecting Drug Compliance and Incompliance in Ankylosing Spondyilitis Patients

Eda Gürçay 1 ,Emel Ekşioğlu 2 ,Serdil Yüzer 3 ,Ajda Bal 4 ,Aytül Çakcı 5
1 Sağlık Bakanlığı Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye
2 Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Etlik İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3 Sağlık Bakanlığı Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara
4 Sağlık Bakanlığı Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara
5 Sağlık Bakanlığı Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye

Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive inflammatory disorder of uncertain etiology that mainly affects the axial skeleton. Drug compliance is very important in the treatment of chronic diseasessuch as AS. This study was carried out to calculate drug compliance rates and to determine the factors that may affect drug compliance in patients with AS.
 

Materials and Methods: Sixty-five outpatients who fulfilled the modified New York criteria for AS were prospectively examined in the study. Compliance to drug treatment was evaluated by interview in terms of adherence to the dose and timing of the prescribed drug regimen. The reasons for compliance and incompliance, detailed drug history and concomitant diseases were asked. 
 

Results: Compliance rates for non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), steroids, and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) were determined as 53%, 67%, and 60-100% of patients, respectively. The most frequent reasons for compliance were “giving adequate information by the doctors”, “fear of exacerbation” and “lessening” symptoms. The most frequent reasons for non-compliance were “gastrointestinal complaints”, “idea of damaging organs” and “forgetfulness”. This study showed that patients with AS were compliant to DMARDs, steroids but less-compliant to NSAIDs. 
 

Conclusion: Information about AS and its treatment provided by doctors can play a key role in enhancing drug compliance. 

Keywords : Ankylosing spondylitis, medical treatment, drug compliance