The spectrum of nonadherence with medication in heart, liver, and lung tranplant patients assessed in various ways

Adherence to medication regimes is crucial for transplant patients. Addressing methodological limitations and gaps in the literature, we studied: (i) the prevalence of nonadherence (NA) with immunosuppression (IS) using various measurement methods, (ii) NA prevalence regarding intake and timing, (iii) changes in NA over time, (iv) differences in NA across organ transplant populations, (v) NA regarding co-medication. Using a descriptive, prospective, comparative design over 3 months, we included convenience samples of adult heart (n = 79), liver (n = 55), and lung (n = 104) transplant patients. NA with IS was measured using self-report, collateral report, blood assay, electronic monitoring (Helping Hand (TM), Bang and Olufsen Medicom, Denmark), and their combinations. In the overall sample, depending on the method used, IS NA ranged from 23.9% to 70.0%. For co-medication, the overall NA rate was 30.1% using self-report. Nonadherence rates remained stable over time. At inclusion, significant NA differences between organ groups were reported via self-and collateral report; lung transplant patients were less adherent than heart or liver transplant recipients, both to IS and to co-medication.