Some kidney transplant recipients not taking necessary medication

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A new study shows that one in four of those who have received a kidney transplant do not adhere to their medication schedule.
Once someone has received a new organ, like a kidney or liver, that is not the end of the story. To stop the new organ being rejected, it is necessary to take medication to suppress the immune system - and this is usually lifelong.

A team at the University of Missouri-Columbia now reveals that some patients with kidney transplants find it hard to stick to their medication - which puts their health at risk. They used a unique pill bottle which has a microchip in its cap for recording each time a tablet is removed. This system, known as the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS), is more accurate than just asking patients whether they have taken their medicine. 

The study showed four kinds of medication taking practise. Some people take medication regularly as prescribed, some occasionally miss a dose or take the pill late. Then there is a group that rarely takes medication on time and have many missed doses. And, finally, there is a group which miss many doses. Overall, as many as 25 out of 100 kidney transplant recipients are lax about taking medication in one way or another. Time since the transplant was not a factor, nor was having a marginal support system. The researchers hope these findings will lead to new ways of supporting patients in sticking to their medication schedule.

Source
University of Missouri-Columbia 20th April 2006