Many patients do not take their medication as prescribed by their physician, either intentionally or unintentionally. This phenomenon, most referred as nonadherence, leads to suboptimal treatment response and increased healthcare costs. To detect nonadherence, in addition to indirect methods, we also use direct methods that detect the presence of the drug in patient's body. However, by simple assessment based on the presence or the absence of a measurable concentration of the drug or its metabolite in a blood sample, it is difficult to distinguish complete adherence from partial adherence, i.e., a situation where the patient takes the drug irregularly, or from masked adherence, where the patient takes his medicine only once before a medical appointment. A possible refinement may be allowed using pharmacokinetic simulations, which estimate whether the measured value corresponds to the expected drug level after a single or short-term administration, or whether it represents steady state confirming long-term adherence. Not only an analysis of a parent drug, but also its metabolite with more favourable pharmacokinetic properties (especially with longer half-life) can be used. Since, in many cases, nonadherence can be caused by several different reasons, multiple approaches in its detection and management are required and a multidisciplinary approach should be involved.

• Klíčová slova
• adherence, compliance, drug management, therapeutic drug monitoring,
• MeSH
• adherence k farmakoterapii * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Background and objective: Non-adherence to tacrolimus commonly manifests as low drug concentrations and/or high intra-patient variability (IPV) of concentrations across multiple measurements. We aimed to compare several methods of tacrolimus IPV calculation and evaluate how well each reflects blood concentration variation due to medication non-adherence in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: This Czech single-center retrospective longitudinal study was conducted in 2019. All outpatients ≥18 years of age, ≥3 months post-transplant, and on tacrolimus-based regimens were approached. After collecting seven consecutive tacrolimus concentrations we asked participating patients to self-report adherence to immunosuppressants (BAASIS© scale). The IPV of tacrolimus was calculated as the medication level variability index (MLVI), the coefficient of variation (CV), the time-weighted CV, and via nonlinearly modeled dose-corrected trough levels. These patient-level variables were analyzed using regression analysis. Detected nonlinearities in the dose-response curve were controlled for by adding tacrolimus dosing and its higher-order terms as covariates, along with self-reported medication adherence levels. Results: Of 243 patients using tacrolimus, 42% (n = 102) reported medication non-adherence. Non-adherence was associated with higher CVs, higher time-weighted CVs, and lower dose-corrected nonlinearly modeled trough levels; however, it was not associated with MLVIs. All of the significant operationalizations suggested a weak association that was similar across the applied methods. Discussion and conclusion: Implementation non-adherence was reflected by higher CV or time-weighted CV and by lower blood concentrations of tacrolimus. As an additional tool for identifying patients at risk for non-adherence, simple IPV calculations incorporated into medical records should be considered in everyday clinical practice.

• Klíčová slova
• immunosuppression, intra-patient variability, kidney transplantation, medication adherence, tacrolimus, tacrolimus immunosuppression,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIMS: Abiraterone treatment requires regular drug intake under fasting conditions due to pronounced food effect, which may impact patient adherence. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate adherence to abiraterone treatment in patients with prostate cancer. To achieve this aim, an abiraterone population pharmacokinetic model was developed and patients' adherence has been estimated by comparison of measured levels of abiraterone with population model-based simulations. METHODS: A total of 1469 abiraterone plasma levels from 83 healthy volunteers collected in a bioequivalence study were analysed using a nonlinear mixed-effects model. Monte Carlo simulation was used to describe the theoretical distribution of abiraterone pharmacokinetic profiles at a dose of 1000 mg once daily. Adherence of 36 prostate cancer patients treated with abiraterone was then evaluated by comparing the real abiraterone concentration measured in each patient during follow-up visit with the theoretical distribution of profiles based on simulations. Patients whose abiraterone levels were ˂5th or ˃95th percentile of the distribution of simulated profiles were considered to be non-adherent. RESULTS: Based on this evaluation, 13 patients (36%) have been classified as non-adherent. We observed significant association (P = .0361) between richness of the breakfast and rate of non-adherence. Adherent patients reported significantly better overall condition in self-assessments (P = .0384). A trend towards a higher occurrence of adverse effects in non-adherent patients was observed. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an abiraterone population pharmacokinetic model and proposed an advanced approach to medical adherence evaluation. Due to the need for administration under fasting conditions, abiraterone therapy is associated with a relatively high rate of non-adherence.

• Klíčová slova
• Monte Carlo simulation, abiraterone acetate, anti‐androgen, compliance, non‐linear mixed‐effects modelling, therapeutic drug monitoring,
• MeSH
• androsteny * farmakokinetika   aplikace a dávkování   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• biologické modely * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení adherence k farmakoterapii * MeSH
• interakce mezi potravou a léky MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• metoda Monte Carlo MeSH
• nádory prostaty * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• omezení příjmu potravy MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• protinádorové látky farmakokinetika   aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• terapeutická ekvivalence MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• abiraterone MeSH Prohlížeč
• androsteny * MeSH
• protinádorové látky MeSH

This article presents a comprehensive and multistage approach to the development of the user experience (UX) for an mHealth application targeting older adult patients with chronic diseases, specifically chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative components. The underlying hypothesis posits that baseline medicine adherence knowledge (measured by the MARS questionnaire), beliefs about medicines (measured by the BMQ questionnaire), and level of user experience (measured by the SUS and UEQ questionnaires) act as predictors of adherence change after a period of usage of the mHealth application. However, contrary to our expectations, the results did not demonstrate the anticipated relationship between the variables examined. Nevertheless, the qualitative component of the research revealed that patients, in general, expressed satisfaction with the application. It is important to note that the pilot testing phase revealed a notable prevalence of technical issues, which may have influenced participants' perception of the overall UX. These findings contribute to the understanding of UX development in the context of mHealth applications for older adults with chronic diseases and emphasise the importance of addressing technical challenges to enhance user satisfaction and engagement.

• Klíčová slova
• UX, eHealth, mHealth application, medication adherence,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to spironolactone in a group of unselected patients with arterial hypertension by analysis of measured serum spironolactone and canrenone concentrations according to a proposed two-step decision scheme based on pharmacokinetic considerations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simulation of serum concentration-time profiles of spironolactone and canrenone based on population pharmacokinetic parameters described in literature and a body weight-normalized spironolactone dose / canrenone level nomogram derived from a group of adherent patients with conservatively treated primary hyperaldosteronism, were used to create a two-step decision scheme. 71 outpatients treated with spironolactone for resistant hypertension with spironolactone and canrenone serum concentrations measured between 2018 and 2021 were analyzed according to the proposed scheme. We compared our proposed methodology to the standard approach for adherence testing. RESULTS: With the most sensitive traditional approach to adherence assessment through detectable serum concentrations of spironolactone and/or canrenone, 9 (12.7%) non-adherent patients were identified. With our two-step assessment of adherence, we were able to identify 18 (25.4%) non-adherent patients. CONCLUSION: Consideration of the pharmacokinetic properties of parental drug and its metabolite led to improved sensitivity in non-adherence detection in patients with arterial hypertension. This approach enables better interpretation of measured spironolactone and canrenone serum concentrations and should be used in clinical practice.

• Klíčová slova
• drug monitoring, hospital, hypertension, laboratories, pharmacokinetics,
• MeSH
• adherence k farmakoterapii * MeSH
• antagonisté mineralokortikoidních receptorů farmakokinetika   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hyperaldosteronismus farmakoterapie   krev   MeSH
• hypertenze * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• kanrenon * farmakokinetika   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pilotní projekty MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• spironolakton * farmakokinetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antagonisté mineralokortikoidních receptorů MeSH
• kanrenon * MeSH
• spironolakton * MeSH

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, the pharmacological treatment of which comprises primarily the use of antipsychotics. However, non-adherence to their use and its reliable determination present a serious clinical and economic problem. This study aimed to determine therapeutic adherence in outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders by combining short-term electronic monitoring of dispenser opening with the measurement of antipsychotic blood concentrations. METHODS: A total of 55 patients underwent a week-long electronic monitoring of dispenser opening and measurement of blood concentrations before and after monitoring. Patients who correctly opened the dispenser at least in 80% of scheduled time points during the weekly interval and, at the same time, did not show a change in blood concentration of the antipsychotic by more than 30% in any direction, were considered adherent. RESULTS: 69.1% of the patients met the adherence criteria, which was less than that determined by the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the Clinician Rating Scale (CRS). 7.3% of the patients took less than 80% of the prescribed doses and a change in blood concentrations of the antipsychotic by more than 30% was detected in 25.4% of the patients. In 70.9% of patients, the detected concentrations were within the recommended therapeutic reference interval. The groups of adherent and non-adherent patients did not differ statistically significantly in the severity of their illness as determined by the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP), and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). CONCLUSIONS: The combined method of evaluating adherence in schizophrenia patients confirmed the results determined by other methods. The benefits of this approach are described in the paper.

• Klíčová slova
• Antipsychotics, Schizophrenia, Telehealth, Therapeutic adherence, Therapeutic drug monitoring,
• MeSH
• adherence k farmakoterapii * psychologie   MeSH
• antipsychotika * krev   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování léčiv * metody   MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• schizofrenie * farmakoterapie   krev   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antipsychotika * MeSH

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility outcomes of implementing a multicomponent staff training intervention (PROCUIDA-Demencia) to promote psychosocial interventions and reduce antipsychotic prescription in Mexican care homes and study its effect on staff's care experience and residents' quality of life. DESIGN: A mixed-methods 2-arm cluster randomized controlled pilot study of a 2-day staff training program with baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks of the PROCUIDA-Demencia intervention vs treatment as usual (TAU). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Eight care homes in Mexico City were selected, from which 55 residents and 126 staff were recruited. INTERVENTION: In situ staff training consisting of evidence-based manualized psychosocial interventions of person-centered activities, reminiscence therapy, doll therapy, psychomotor dance therapy, and antipsychotic prescription review. Fidelity to protocol was supervised once a week. METHODS: Cluster-level feasibility measures included views of staff, residents, and relatives on acceptability, satisfaction, adherence, and fidelity to the intervention. Staff outcome measures were Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire, and Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff. Residents' outcome measures included Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease scale (QoL-AD), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH). Staff distress was measured using the NPI-NH occupational disturbance scale. Feasibility was elicited through a focus group, and hierarchical linear mixed effects models were used to assess the adjusted effects of the respective measures. RESULTS: Observed medical practice showed the prescription of at least 1 antipsychotic in 41% of participants in the intervention group. Overall, 39% of residents reported discontinuation, and 15% reduction of antipsychotics, following the 12-week medical review in parallel with psychosocial interventions. Clinical outcomes contributed positively to the reduction in baseline staff burden according to the MBI after the intervention [mean difference -8.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) -17.7, -0.1, P = .049] and to the reduction in severity and frequency of behavior as per NPI-NH in residents (mean difference -9.4, 95% CI -17.5, -1.3, P = .025). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: PROCUIDA-Demencia is a feasible intervention for Mexican care homes. Results contribute to the Mexican Dementia Plan optimizing dementia care by supporting the need for staff training to implement psychosocial interventions prior to prescribing antipsychotic medication.

• Klíčová slova
• Mexico, antipsychotics, care homes, dementia, long-term care, person-centered care, psychosocial interventions, staff training,
• MeSH
• demence * psychologie   terapie   MeSH
• hodnocení výsledků zdravotní péče MeSH
• kvalita života * psychologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pečovatelské domovy MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• randomizované kontrolované studie MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes towards the available preventive measures, risk behaviour and health problems in Czech travellers to tropical and subtropical regions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective study included patients of all ages with a history of recent travel to risky countries who presented to the post-travel clinic of the Hospital Na Bulovce in Prague within two months after return, from February 2009 to June 2018. The data were collec-ted through a questionnaire survey and from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Nine hundred and thirty-four patients (473 M and 461 F, age median of 32 years, IQR 27-39) participated in the study. The most frequent destinations were South-East Asia (332; 35.5%), South Asia (176, 18.8%), and Sub-Saharan Africa (172; 18.4%). The most common reasons for tra-vel were tourism (772; 82.7%) and business (111; 11.9%). An underlying chronic disease was reported by 317 patients (33.9%). Pre-travel health consultation was sought by 415 travellers (44.4%); however, only 312 (33.4%) of the respondents were properly vaccinated. Preventive malaria chemoprophylaxis was indicated in a total of 151 travellers (16.2%) but was only received by 44/151 patients (29.1%). Risky eating or drinking behaviour was admitted by 832 (89.1%) respondents and low standard accommodation by 525 (56.2 %) travellers. The most commonly reported clinical syndromes were acute and chronic diarrhoea (266; 28.5%), febrile illness (240; 25.7%) and skin lesions (166; 17.8%). A total of 199 patients presented with tropical infection (21.3%) and 63 with a vaccine-preventable infection or malaria (6.7%). Conclusions: The study shows that the adherence of Czech travellers to preventive measures is relatively low, and along with risky behaviours, has a significant impact on travel-related morbidity. However, vaccine-preventable infections only accounted for a small fraction of travel-related illness, which is in accordance with other epidemiological studies and points out the need for a more comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to pre-travel health consultations.

• Klíčová slova
• Antimalarials, travel medicine, travel-related illness, vaccination,
• MeSH
• cestování * MeSH
• cestovní nemoci MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pacienti ambulantní * MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• riskování MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• subsaharská Afrika MeSH

OBJECTIVES: A lack of physician training is a major obstacle for effective tobacco dependence treatment. This study assessed the feasibility of an active learning training program and its effects on smoking cessation counselling skills of medical residents in Armenia, an Eastern European country with high smoking prevalence. STUDY DESIGN: The study used a pre-post assessment of smoking cessation counselling activities and a course evaluation survey to assess the feasibility of the intervention in a different environment. METHODS: We adapted an active learning training model developed in Switzerland. Residents were trained in Yerevan, Armenia, using video-taped counselling sessions, role plays, standardized patients (actors), group discussions and immediate feedback. The training evaluation was done using a semi-structured anonymous questionnaire. The study assessed the physicians' self-reported smoking cessation counselling activities before and 6 months after the training. A non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used to assess pre-post differences in physicians' counselling skills measured on ordinal scale. RESULTS: Of the 37 residents trained, 75% were female, 89% aged 20-29 years and 83% were never-smokers. Twenty-eight trainees (76%) returned the course evaluation survey and 32 (86%) answered a questionnaire on skills self-assessment at 6 months follow-up. The majority agreed the course was successful in achieving its learning objectives (64%-96%) and increased their confidence in assisting their patients to quit (74%). After 6 months, the physicians were more likely than at baseline to adhere to evidence-based counselling strategies, including assessing the smoking status and dependence and matching the advice to the patient motivation. The training did not, however, improve the prescription of tobacco dependence medications. CONCLUSIONS: Six months after the training, several self-reported smoking cessation counselling activities had significantly improved compared to baseline. This training model is acceptable for medical residents in Yerevan, Armenia and offers a promising approach in addressing the lack of physician counselling skills in similar settings and populations.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení programu MeSH
• kontinuální vzdělávání lékařů metody   organizace a řízení   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• kuřáci psychologie   MeSH
• lékaři statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• odvykání kouření metody   MeSH
• osoby simulující pacienta ve výuce MeSH
• poradenství výchova   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• poruchy vyvolané užíváním tabáku diagnóza   terapie   MeSH
• problémově orientovaná výuka metody   organizace a řízení   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• studie proveditelnosti MeSH
• vzdělávací modely MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Arménie MeSH

OBJECTIVES: Safe pharmaceutical care (PC) requires an interprofessional team approach, involving physicians, nurses and pharmacists. Nurses' roles however, are not always explicit and clear, complicating interprofessional collaboration. The aim of this study is to describe nurses' practice and interprofessional collaboration in PC, from the viewpoint of nurses, physicians and pharmacists. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The study was conducted in 17 European countries, each with their own health systems. PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacists, physicians and nurses with an active role in PC were surveyed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nurses' involvement in PC, experiences of interprofessional collaboration and communication and views on nurses' competences. RESULTS: A total of 4888 nurses, 974 physicians and 857 pharmacists from 17 European countries responded. Providing patient education and information (PEI), monitoring medicines adherence (MMA), monitoring adverse/therapeutic effects (ME) and prescribing medicines were considered integral to nursing practice by 78%, 73%, 69% and 15% of nurses, respectively. Most respondents were convinced that quality of PC would be improved by increasing nurses' involvement in ME (95%), MMA (95%), PEI (91%) and prescribing (53%). Mean scores for the reported quality of collaboration between nurses and physicians, collaboration between nurses and pharmacists and interprofessional communication were respectively <7/10, ≤4/10, <6/10 for all four aspects of PC. CONCLUSIONS: ME, MMA, PEI and prescribing are part of nurses' activities, and most healthcare professionals felt their involvement should be extended. Collaboration between nurses and physicians on PC is limited and between nurses and pharmacists even more.

• Klíčová slova
• health services administration & management, international health services, quality in healthcare,
• MeSH
• farmaceutické služby statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• interprofesionální vztahy * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mezioborová komunikace MeSH
• průřezové studie * MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• role ošetřovatelky * MeSH
• srovnání kultur MeSH
• týmová péče o pacienty statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH