RA Compliance Undermines Treatment Success Save

Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston prospectively studied 107 RA patients with regard to oral medication (DMARDs, steroids) adherence. They report that adherence was low, ranging from 58-71% overall. If adherence was defined as taking medication >80% of the time, a minority of RA patients were DMARD (21%) or prednisone (41%) adherent. Disease activity and radiographic change was lowest in adherent patients. 

In a related news release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.5% of adults are noncompliant with medications for the reason of saving money. This was less likely in the elderly ≥65 years (5.3%) compared to  adults 18-64 years (~15%).