Poor Compliance in SLE Leads to More ER Visits and Hospitalizations Save

Feldman and coworkers have analyzed US Medicaid claims data from 9,600 hydroxychloroquine and 3,829 new immunosuppressive new users with a diagnosis of SLE. The mean adherence rate (measured as MPR) for HCQ was 47.8% and for 42.7%  for immunosuppressives; 79% of HCQ users and 83% of IS users were nonadherent (MPR<80%). Overall, lupus medicaid patients had very poor adherence to these medications that was coupled with an increased frequency of lupus-related emergency department visits and 47-64% more hospital admissions in those that were nonadherent. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1PqiOjL)