Prescription Patterns of Mycophenolate Mofetil in a Group of Patients from Colombia.

BACKGROUND

Mycophenolate mofetil is used for the prevention of solid organ transplant rejection and for other indications, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prescription patterns of mycophenolate mofetil in a group of Colombian patients.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil between 2021 and 2022. The data were obtained from a drug dispensing database. Sociodemographic, clinical (diagnostic), and pharmacological variables were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 979 patients who underwent treatment were identified; their mean age was 45.9 ± 17.1 years, and 87.4% were women. The main diagnosis associated with the use of mycophenolate mofetil was SLE (39.1%), followed by other rheumatic diseases (8.5%), nephrotic syndrome (7.5%), and solid organ transplantation (6.4%). The relationship between the mean dose and the defined daily dose was 0.75. Ten percent of patients received mycophenolate alone, whereas 32.9% received mycophenolate in combination therapy with conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and glucocorticoids. A total of 76.2% had polypharmacy (five or more drugs).

CONCLUSIONS

Mycophenolate mofetil is used mainly in combination therapy for patients with SLE and other rheumatological diseases and for solid organ transplants at doses lower than those recommended.