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The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Joint Authors
van Galen, Katy A.
Nellen, Jeannine F.
Nieuwkerk, Pythia T.
Source
Issue
Vol. 2014, Issue 2014 (31 Dec. 2014), pp.1-6, 6 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2014-09-03
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
6
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Administering drugs as fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) versus the same active drugs administered as separate pills is assumed to enhance treatment adherence.
We synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effect of FDCs versus separate pills on adherence.
We searched PubMed for RCTs comparing a FDC with the same active drugs administered as separate pills, including a quantitative estimate of treatment adherence, without restriction to medical condition.
The odds ratio (OR) of optimal adherence with FDCs versus separate pills was used as common effect size and aggregated into a pooled effect estimate using a random effect model with inverse variance weights.
Out of 1258 articles screened, only six studies fulfilled inclusion criteria.
Across medical conditions, administering drugs as FDC significantly increased the likelihood of optimal adherence (OR 1.33 (95% CI, 1.03–1.71)).
Within subgroups of specific medical conditions, the favourable effect of FDCs on adherence was of borderline statistical significance for HIV infection only (OR 1.46 (95% CI, 1.00–2.13)).
We observed a remarkable paucity of RCTs comparing the effect on adherence of administering drugs as FDC versus as separate pills.
Administering drugs as FDC improved medication adherence.
However, this conclusion is based on a limited number of RCTs only.
American Psychological Association (APA)
van Galen, Katy A.& Nellen, Jeannine F.& Nieuwkerk, Pythia T.. 2014. The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. AIDS Research and Treatment،Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1016049
Modern Language Association (MLA)
van Galen, Katy A.…[et al.]. The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. AIDS Research and Treatment No. 2014 (2014), pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1016049
American Medical Association (AMA)
van Galen, Katy A.& Nellen, Jeannine F.& Nieuwkerk, Pythia T.. The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. AIDS Research and Treatment. 2014. Vol. 2014, no. 2014, pp.1-6.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1016049
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-1016049