Treatment Adherence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients from Argentina: A Multicenter Study

METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study involving seven referral centers from three cities of Argentina was undertaken. Patients with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), or indeterminate colitis (IBDU/IC) were invited to answer an anonymous survey, which included a 5-point Likert scale to evaluate adherence to therapies. Independent variables associated with inadequate adherence were evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 447 UC/IBDU and 135 CD patients were enrolled. Median age was 37 years (range 21-72); 39.8% were male; median time from diagnosis was 6 years (0.5-35). 91.4% were under treatment with at least one oral medication; 50.3% of patients reported inadequate adherence to oral medications. Patients with UC/IBDU had a lower risk of inadequate adherence when compared to patients with CD (OR 0.57 (0.37-0.87)). 21.8% reported inadequate adherence to biologics; subcutaneous administration was significantly associated with inadequate adherence to biologics (OR 4.8 (1.57-14.66)). CONCLUSION: Inadequate treatment adherence is common among patients with IBD, and potentially modifiable factors were identified.