ORLANDO, FL USA (UroToday.com) - The treatment plans patients receive from their physicians because of renal stones is not always followed through due to changes in patients’ attitudes over time. Kristina L Penniston and colleagues assessed patients’ experiences with compliance with preventative regimens for treatment of renal stones.
The authors used standard questionnaires and asked stone-forming patients about their willingness to engage in preventative behaviors when they were seen for renal stones. Patients that were already seen were asked to report their satisfaction, compliance, and adherence to the prevention regimen they were assigned.
In their results, the authors found that 99% of patients would change their diet and 90% said they would take medications. Seventy-five percent of patients stated that they would be willing to take more than one medication and 89% stated that they would be willing to be followed in clinic. Almost half of returning patients reported having difficulty following their diet. They also found that patients who had more stone events had better adherence to their assigned treatment regimen. Females tended to have lower compliance and knowledge with regards to medication therapy for their stone disease.
The authors concluded that the even though new patients may be willing to follow treatment plans, the adherence and compliance is variable. Authors stated that this might be due to the patients’ understanding about their treatments. Authors also concluded that keeping patients motivated to continue their treatments for renal stones might improve their compliance and adherence. An important consideration with renal stone patients should be full explanation of the treatment algorithm before the patient is discharged in clinic. If patients understand the treatment regimens, particularly if it is not a complex treatment algorithm, they may very well follow through with the plan and thus increase compliance.
Presented by Kristina L Penniston, MD at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting - May 16 - 21, 2014 - Orlando, Florida USA
Madison, WI USA
Written by Garen Abedi, MD, University of California (Irvine), and medical writer for UroToday.com