SELF-REPORTED QUALITY OF LIFE, IMPULSIVITY AND NON-ADHERENCE TO IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE MEDICATION AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION: A COHORT STUDY.

OBJECTIVE

Identify psychosocial risk factors for non-adherence to medication following liver transplantation.

METHODS

We used the Medication Level Variability Index (MLVI) for the assessment of adherence in 52 subjects selected for a pre-transplant liver procedure and monitored them for 6 months following transplantation. Patients were divided into exposed and non-exposed groups according to adherence, and each group was analyzed using psychosocial variables: demographic characteristics, quality of life, impulsivity, resilience, anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Patients with non-adherence had lower scores in the SF-36v2 domains and in the components of physical and mental health, with significant differences in the physical functioning (P=0.03) and physical health component (P=0.03) domains. In addition, non-adherent patients showed higher levels of impulsiveness (P=0.04) and 44.2% of the non-adherent patients being men (P=0.04).

CONCLUSION

Physical functioning and summary of the physical components of quality of life, impulsivity and male gender were associated with low adherence to medication.