Hemodial Int. 2016 Jan;20(1):38-49. doi: 10.1111/hdi.12315. Epub 2015 May 14.

Phosphate binder pill burden, patient-reported non-adherence, and mineral bone disorder markers: Findings from the DOPPS.

Fissell RB¹, Karaboyas A², Bieber BA², Sen A³, Li Y^2,³, Lopes AA⁴, Akiba T⁵, Bommer J⁶, Ethier J⁷, Jadoul M⁸, Pisoni RL², Robinson BM^2,³, Tentori F^1,².

Author information

1: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
2: Arbor Research Collaborative for Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
3: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
4: Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
5: Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
6: Dialysezentrum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
7: Center Hospital de University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
8: Cliniques St Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

Abstract

Because of multiple comorbidities, hemodialysis (HD) patients are prescribed many oral medications, including phosphate binders (PBs), often resulting in a high "pill burden." Using data from the international Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), we assessed associations between PB pill burden, patient-reported PB non-adherence, and levels of serum phosphorus (SPhos) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) using standard regression analyses. The study included data collected from 5262 HD patients from dialysis units participating in the DOPPS in 12 countries. PB prescription ranged from a mean of 7.4 pills per day in the United States to 3.9 pills per day in France. About half of the patients were prescribed at least 6 PB pills per day, and 13% were prescribed at least 12 PB pills per day. Overall, the proportion of patients who reported skipping PBs at least once in the past month was 45% overall, ranging from 33% in Belgium to 57% in the United States. There was a trend toward greater PB non-adherence and a higher number of prescribed PB pills per day. Non-adherence to PB prescription was associated with high SPhos (>5.5 mg/dL) and PTH (>600 pg/mL). Adherence to PB is a challenge for many HD patients and may be related to the number of PB pills prescribed. Prescription of a simplified PB regimen could improve patient adherence and perhaps improve SPhos and PTH levels.