Medication compliance and lifestyle adherence in renal transplant recipients in Kuwait

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment choice for end stage renal disease; this option needs a major change in the recipients’ lifestyle and requires strict adherence to medications. The study aim was to assess the compliance of renal transplant patients to medications and lifestyle modifications in the Hamed Al-Essa Organ Transplant Center in Kuwait. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One-hundred and twenty renal transplant patients were interviewed for their lifestyle behaviors after transplantation, including transplant adherence to their medications, healthy meals, personal hygiene, physical activity, regular out-patient follow up visits, and preventive measures against infection and cancer, in addition to sexual function. The questionnaire used was created by staff of the Faculty of Medicine, Mansura University, Egypt. RESULTS: Sixty percent of the renal transplant patients were compliant with medications and lifestyle. Risk factors associated with poor medication compliance were being Kuwaiti citizens, women, and having had unrelated living donors (p<0.05). Compliance with medications was associated with less transplant related complications (p=0.003). Only 15% of the participants were compliant with low-salt diet, 8% with low-fat, and 11% with low-carb. One fourth of patients were compliant with a daily shower and 20% were physically active. More than 70% of the patients were regularly visiting the out-patient clinic. Compliance to preventive measures against infection was observed in 85% of patients but only 5% were avoiding direct sun exposure. Half of the male patients had sexual dysfunction but only half of them were consulting their nephrologists about it. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplant patients in Kuwait had moderate compliance with medications and lifestyle modifications. Closer assessment is needed to identify the risk factors before and after transplantation to avoid any complications associated with non-compliance.