Impact of a Pharmaceutical Care Model in the Management of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Impact of a Pharmaceutical Care Model in the Management of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients. A Randomised Control Trial

Owing to effective treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has become a chronic disease with a rising prevalence globally. Although the possibility of stopping TKI therapy in CML patients who have achieved deep molecular responses is a topic of active debate and investigation, life-long treatment remains the current standard of care. It has been estimated that 3% to 56% of CML patients are not adherent to their prescribed TKI therapy. Poor adherence to TKIs could compromise the control of CML, and contributes to poorer survival. CML patients on long-term TKI therapy are prone to developing certain medication-related issues such as adverse reactions and drug interactions.Occurrence of adverse reactions even at low grades, has been shown to impact CML patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and adherence to treatment. However, there is no prospective high quality evidence showing adherence to TKIs and the associated clinical outcomes can be improved in CML patients. Therefore, the investigators hypothesize that medication management intervention by pharmacist might improve adherence to TKIs, and translate into better disease response and HRQoL in CML patients, when compared to control arm who receive standard pharmacy service.

Medication review including drug-interaction check, individual patient counseling to improve understanding of treatment rationale and to elicit and address treatment-related concerns, provision of information booklets and adherence aids (calender blister packaging and smartphone medication reminder application), phone calls and face-to-face visits to follow-up on medication-related issues scheduled over a period of 6 months.

Adherence is defined as having an medication possession ratio (MPR) of greater than 90% (calculated as days' supply of TKI dispensed divided by number of days of the study period) from electronic prescription refill database system

Evaluated at 2 time frame, (a) Immediate effect of intervention: 1-3 months pre-intervention until 6 months after starting intervention; (b) long-term effect of intervention: 1-3 months pre-intervention until 6 months after the end of intervention

Molecular response is determined as log-reduction of BCR-ABL1 mRNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in international scale (IS)

Evaluated at 2 time frame, (a) 0-3 months pre-intervention until 6 months after starting intervention; (b) 0-3 months pre-intervention until 6 months after the end of intervention

Evaluated at 2 time frame, (a) 1 week pre-intervention until 6 months after starting intervention; (b) 1 week pre-intervention until 6 months after the end of intervention

Inclusion Criteria: has a confirmed diagnosis of Philadelphia chromosome positive CML has a detectable BCR-ABL1 mRNA has been taking TKI for at least 3 months able to speak and read English, Malay or Mandarin Exclusion Criteria: with cognitive deficit or psychiatric disorders in advanced phase of CML where TKI is transitory to hematologic stem cell transplant history of hematologic stem cell transplant pregnant or plan to conceive in the next 1 year

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