• Patient Satisfaction With Treatment Is Associated With Adherence and Treatment Continuation: Results From CNA3014 (Abstract O-1011)
  Authored by J. Jordan, P. Cahn, A. Vibhagool
  Poster Presentation: View the original abstract

HIV medications are becoming less complicated and less side effect prone. A key assumption is that these reductions will result in improvements in the ability of persons to adhere to, and remain on combination therapy.

The current study presented by Jordan from GlaxoSmithKline, on behalf of an international group of investigators, examined the effect of patient satisfaction on adherence in the CNA3014 study. This study randomized HIV-infected subjects to receive Combivir (CBV; a combination of zidovudine and lamivudine) with either abacavir (ABC, Ziagen) or indinavir (IDV, Crixivan). The former was taken twice daily without meal restrictions, the later was taken three times with meal restrictions. Patient adherence and satisfaction were measured throughout the study. A satisfaction questionnaire asked subjects about convenience, flexibility, lifestyle, satisfaction with treatment, satisfaction with continuing treatment and if they would recommend the treatment to others.

The results of the study showed that the Combivir/abacavir regimen was associated with fewer side effects and was simpler to take (given the lower pill count, decreased dosing frequency and lack of dietary restrictions). These variables resulted in patients on Combivir/abacavir having greater satisfaction with their regimen than patients on the Combivir/indinavir arm. The study provides research information, since this simple questionnaire can mathematically relate the amount of improvement in adherence with improvements in patient satisfaction. The authors appropriately point out that their conclusions should only relate to these specific drug combinations, for other drugs, the relationships between satisfaction and adherence can only be inferred.

These data are not particularly surprising and shouldn't really alter an informed decision about treatment choices, since satisfaction with a treatment would be expected to yield these results. Nevertheless, continued emphasis on exploring and improving treatments for HIV should be an important objective for our community.