Non-adherence to antihypertensive treatment is one of the leading causes of suboptimal blood pressure control and translates into increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is no effective intervention for therapeutic non-adherence. Our project will assess whether high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)-guided intervention (providing patients with information on the results of their HPLC-MS/MS-based urine analysis combined with targeting the main reason for non-adherence) leads to an improvement in blood pressure control, adherence and a reduction in healthcare costs. Our multicentre prospective randomised controlled trial consists of 6 stages (screening, recruitment, baseline phenotype assessment, intervention, short-term and long-term outcome visits). The study will fill in an important gap in knowledge on management of blood pressure in non-adherent hypertensive patients beyond the initial diagnostic step. It will also inform the development of a cost-effective model for the management of non-adherence in chronic disorders that require long-term drug therapy.
Non-adherence to antihypertensive treatment is one of the leading causes of suboptimal blood pressure control and translates into increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is no effective intervention for therapeutic non-adherence. An ultra-sensitive and highly specific biochemical assay has been developed to detect urinary biomarkers of antihypertensive treatment. The high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)-based assay screens spot urine samples for the presence of 40 commonly prescribed blood pressure lowering medications. The results of the test provide a clinician with information on the presence/absence of prescribed antihypertensive drugs or/and their metabolites in urine - a direct confirmation of therapeutic adherence/non-adherence. The study is a prospective multi-centre randomised controlled trial to examine if HPLC-MS/MS-guided intervention is superior to standard clinical care in improving clinical, behavioural and health-economy outcomes in hypertensive patients who are non-adherent to antihypertensive treatment. Patient adherence to antihypertensive treatment will be determined at baseline. Non-adherent hypertensive patients at baseline will be randomised in a 1:1 ration to either usual clinical care plus HPLC-MS/MS-guided intervention (Arm A) or usual clinical care only (Arm B). The study also evaluates a cohort of patients who are adherent to antihypertensive treatment at baseline. Those adherent hypertensive patients will receive the usual clinical care (Arm C). The main purpose of involving this group of patients is to blind the clinical research staff to the adherence status of those patients randomised receiving standard care alone, to prevent introducing any bias in treating non-adherent patients.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
200
The HPLC-MS/MS-guided intervention consists of providing partially or totally non-adherent hypertensive patients with information on the results of their HPLC-MS/MS-based urine analysis combined with tailored targeting of the main reason(s) for the deviation from the prescribed antihypertensive treatment
Standard care for hypertensive patients
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
Ninewells Hospital
Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
Alvaston Medical Centre
Derby, United Kingdom
Epsom & St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
Epsom, United Kingdom
Glenfield General Hospital
Leicester, United Kingdom
Royal Free Hospital
London, United Kingdom
Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital
London, United Kingdom
Homerton Hospital
London, United Kingdom
St Bartholomews Hospital
London, United Kingdom
...and 2 more locations
Change in Clinic systolic blood pressure
Blood pressure measurements will be taken after 5 minutes of rest in a sitting position with an electronic digital Omron monitor and the cuff size adjusted to the arm circumference as per international guidelines. Three measurements of systolic blood pressure will be taken in a row (separated by approximately 1 minute interval) and recorded at every visit
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; approx. 3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in clinic systolic blood pressure
Blood pressure measurements will be taken after 5 minutes of rest in a sitting position with an electronic digital Omron monitor and the cuff size adjusted to the arm circumference as per international guidelines. Three measurements of systolic blood pressure will be taken in a row (separated by approximately 1 minute interval) and recorded at every visit
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in clinic diastolic blood pressure
Blood pressure measurements will be taken after 5 minutes of rest in a sitting position with an electronic digital Omron monitor and the cuff size adjusted to the arm circumference as per international guidelines. Three measurements of diastolic blood pressure will be taken in a row (separated by approximately 1 minute interval) and recorded at every visit
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; ~3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in clinic diastolic blood pressure
Blood pressure measurements will be taken after 5 minutes of rest in a sitting position with an electronic digital Omron monitor and the cuff size adjusted to the arm circumference as per international guidelines. Three measurements of diastolic blood pressure will be taken in a row (separated by approximately 1 minute interval) and recorded at every visit
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in home blood pressure
This measurement will be conducted using oscillometric Omron monitors. Patients will be handed the monitors by the research nurses at each visit and will be provided instructions to use the Omron monitor. While all blood pressure measurements will be stored automatically on the monitors, patients will be also asked to keep a written record on paper (to avoid loss of data in case a monitor stops working or goes out of order).
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; ~3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in home blood pressure
This measurement will be conducted using oscillometric Omron monitors. Patients will be handed the monitors by the research nurses at each visit and will be provided instructions to use the Omron monitor. While all blood pressure measurements will be stored automatically on the monitors, patients will be also asked to keep a written record on paper (to avoid loss of data in case a monitor stops working or goes out of order).
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in biochemical adherence of patients
HPLC-MS/MS test will determine the numbers and list of antihypertensive drugs detected in the patient urine sample and this will be compared to the patient prescription
Time frame: visit 2 (~3 weeks post recruitment, when feasible to conduct)
Change in biochemical adherence of patients
HPLC-MS/MS test will determine the numbers and list of antihypertensive drugs detected in the patient urine sample and this will be compared to the patient prescription.
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; ~3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in biochemical adherence of patients
HPLC-MS/MS test will determine the numbers and list of antihypertensive drugs detected in the patient urine sample and this will be compared to the patient prescription.
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in urinary albumin / creatinine ratio
Urinary albumin / creatinine ratio is a urinary marker of target organ damage.
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; ~3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Change in urinary albumin / creatinine ratio
Urinary albumin / creatinine ratio is a urinary marker of target organ damage.
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Changes in health economy parameters
Health economy parameters (collected via questionnaires) will be calculated over the study time horizon to determine total costs of clinical/social care
Time frame: visit 4 (short term follow-up; ~3 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
Changes in health economy parameters
Health economy parameters (collected via questionnaires) will be calculated over the study time horizon to determine total costs of clinical/social care
Time frame: visit 5 (long term follow-up; ~4.5 months post intervention, when feasible to conduct)
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