The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 123, Issue 1 , Pages 54-59 , January 2010

The Dynamics of Chronic Gout Treatment: Medication Gaps and Return to Therapy

  • Leslie R. Harrold, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Mass
    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass
    • Health Maintenance Organization Research Network Center for Education and Research in Therapeutics, Denver
    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Leslie R. Harrold, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Biotech 4, Suite 315, 377 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605
    • ,
  • Susan E. Andrade, ScD

      Affiliations

    • Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Mass
    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass
    • Health Maintenance Organization Research Network Center for Education and Research in Therapeutics, Denver
    • ,
  • Becky Briesacher, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Mass
    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass
    • ,
  • Marsha A. Raebel, Pharm D

      Affiliations

    • Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Denver
    • Health Maintenance Organization Research Network Center for Education and Research in Therapeutics, Denver
    • ,
  • Hassan Fouayzi, MS

      Affiliations

    • Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Mass
    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass
    • ,
  • Robert A. Yood, MD

      Affiliations

    • Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Mass
    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass
    • Fallon Clinic, Worcester, Mass
    • Health Maintenance Organization Research Network Center for Education and Research in Therapeutics, Denver
    • ,
  • Ira S. Ockene, MD

      Affiliations

    • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass

References 

  1. Kramer HJ, Choi HK, Atkinson K, et al. The association between gout and nephrolithiasis in men: the Health Professionals' Follow-Up Study. Kidney Int. 2003;64:1022–1026
  2. Rott KT, Agudelo CA. Gout. JAMA. 2003;289:2857–2860
  3. Shoji A, Yamanaka H, Kamatani N. A retrospective study of the relationship between serum urate level and recurrent attacks of gouty arthritis: evidence for reduction of recurrent gouty arthritis with antihyperuricemic therapy. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;51:321–325
  4. Keith MP, Gilliland WR. Updates in the management of gout. Am J Med. 2007;120:221–224
  5. Mikuls TR, MacLean CH, Olivieri J, et al. Quality of care indicators for gout management. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:937–943
  6. Perez-Ruiz F, Liote F. Lowering serum uric acid levels: what is the optimal target for improving clinical outcomes in gout?. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;57:1324–1328
  7. Zhang W, Doherty M, Bardin T, et al. EULAR evidence based recommendations for gout. Part II: management. Report of a task force of the EULAR Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT). Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:1312–1324
  8. Riedel AA, Nelson M, Joseph-Ridge N, et al. Compliance with allopurinol therapy among managed care enrollees with gout: a retrospective analysis of administrative claims. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1575–1581
  9. Sarawate CA, Brewer KK, Yang W, et al. Gout medication treatment patterns and adherence to standards of care from a managed care perspective. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81:925–934
  10. Solomon DH, Avorn J, Levin R, Brookhart MA. Uric acid lowering therapy: prescribing patterns in a large cohort of older adults. Ann Rheum Dis. 2008;67:609–613
  11. Briesacher BA, Andrade SE, Fouayzi H, Chan KA. Comparison of drug adherence rates among patients with seven different medical conditions. Pharmacotherapy. 2008;28:437–443
  12. Chan KA, Davis RL, Gunter MJ, et al. The HMO Research Network. In:  Strom BL editors. Pharmacoepidemiology. 4th edn.. 2007;p. 261–269
  13. Wagner EH, Greene SM, Hart G, et al. Building a research consortium of large health systems: the Cancer Research Network. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2005;2005:3–11
  14. Brookhart MA, Avorn J, Katz JN, et al. Gaps in treatment among users of osteoporosis medications: the dynamics of noncompliance. Am J Med. 2007;120:251–256
  15. Brookhart MA, Patrick AR, Schneeweiss S, et al. Physician follow-up and provider continuity are associated with long-term medication adherence: a study of the dynamics of statin use. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:847–852
  16. van Wijk BLG, Avorn J, Solomon DH, et al. Rates and determinants of reinitiating antihypertensive therapy after prolonged stoppage: a population-based study. J Hypertens. 2007;25:689–697
  17. Harrold LR, Andrade SE, Briesacher BA, et al. Adherence with urate-lowering therapies for the treatment of gout. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11:R46

 Funding: This work was supported by Grant Number K23AR053856 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (Bethesda, Md). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases or the National Institutes of Health.

 Conflict of Interest: We have no conflict of interest to declare for this work.

 Authorship: All authors listed on the manuscript had access to the data and contributed sufficiently to the project to qualify as authors.

PII: S0002-9343(09)00710-4

doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.05.026

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 123, Issue 1 , Pages 54-59 , January 2010

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