TITLE:
Evaluation of Therapeutic Adherence in Patients Suffering from Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatism in the Rheumatology Wards of Lomé (Togo)
AUTHORS:
Eyram Fianyo, Wendlassida Joëlle Stéphanie Zabsonre Tiendrebeogo, Viwalé Etonam Sika Koffi-Tessio, Kodjo Kakpovi, Owonayo Oniankitan, Moustafa Mijiyawa
KEYWORDS:
Therapeutic Adherence, Non-Adherence, Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatism, Black Africa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,
Vol.13 No.4,
November
30,
2023
ABSTRACT: Objectives: Therapeutic compliance can be defined as the degree of adequacy between
a patient’s behaviour and his doctor’s recommendations. Non-adherence to treatment has serious consequences in terms of morbidity and
mortality. Our aim was to assess adherence among patients treated for chronic
inflammatory rheumatism in Lomé. Patients and Methods: This was a
multicentre cross-sectional study conducted from January 2015 to December 2021.
Patients aged 18 years or older, treated in the rheumatology departments of the
Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital or the Bè Hospital during the study
period, were included if they were diagnosed with chronic inflammatory
rheumatism and started on disease-modifying therapy. Adherence was assessed
using the Compliance Questionnaire Rheumatology 19 questionnaire, with a
threshold for good compliance set at 80%. Results: Out of 13,214
patients received, 159 suffered from chronic inflammatory rheumatism (hospital
frequency 1.5%), and 60 met the inclusion criteria for our study. There were 55
women (91.7%) and 5 men (8.3%), giving a sex-ratio of 1/11. The mean age was
49.5 ± 13.5 years (extremes: 19 and 78 years). Rheumatoid arthritis (68.3%) was
the most common rheumatic disease, followed by undefined rheumatic diseases
(16.6%) and spondyloarthritis (8.3%). Average compliance with treatment was
76.9% ± 12.4% (extremes 29.8 and 91.2). There was no statistically significant
difference according to the type of rheumatism. Conclusion: Overall
compliance was poor, with a Compliance Questionnaire Rheumatology 19 of less
than 80%. It was non-significantly influenced by socioeconomic status, disease
severity and duration of progression.