A large survey supported by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) shows that 65 percent of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients are less than fully compliant with first-line therapies to treat their disease. The findings are significant because an earlier study observed that patients less than fully compliant experience five times the number of disease flare-ups.

Respondents to the CCFA survey were taking a variety of aminosalicylates, medications which help relieve symptoms and inflammation for a number of UC sufferers, but which require multiple pills be taken two to four times a day. CCFA conducted the survey to gain a better understanding of patients' experiences with UC and these medications.

The most usually reported reasons for non-compliance with medications were the dosing frequency, the number of pills and the inconvenience linked to the medication. Seventy-four percent of the 1,595 UC sufferers included in the survey experienced at least one flare-up of UC during the prior year. Flare-ups can involve heightened symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fatigue as well as complications such as anemia.

"The study shows that a number of patients struggle to comply with their current medicine regimen because they have to take multiple pills throughout the day," said the survey report's author Edward V. Loftus, Jr., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. "And we know that when UC patients don't take their medications as prescribed, it can have a significant impact on their health and quality of life".

In addition to poor compliance with medication, the survey reviewed overall quality of life for those living with UC 60 percent reported loss of bowel control, 49 percent reported decreased energy levels, 46 percent reported spending less time away from home and 37 percent reported involvement in fewer social activities.

"Lack of compliance with medicine is a major challenge across a variety of disease states and has a huge impact on Americans' health and the cost of healthcare in our country," said Jonathan Braun, MD, PhD, chair of CCFA's National Scientific Advisory Committee. "The introduction of new therapys with more convenient dosing regimens will be an important step in helping UC patients to remain compliant with their medication, lower the frequency of flares and improve their quality of life," he added.


Posted by: Emily    Source

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