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

UCSI University129 enrolled

Overview

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.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

129

Conditions

Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive

Interventions

Pharmaceutical care and adherence aidsBEHAVIORAL

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.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

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

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Changes in percentage of patients who adhere to prescribed TKI therapy

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

Time frame: 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

Secondary Outcomes

Changes in percentage of patients who achieve major/deep molecular response to TKI

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

Time frame: 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

Mean changes in health-related quality of life status

HRQoL is determined as patient-reported score on EORTC QLQ-C30 and CML24 questionnaire

Time frame: 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