Abstract
Purpose:
We aimed to investigate medication possession ratio (MPR) and its related factor among Japanese glaucoma patients using a health insurance database to clarify whether glaucoma patients used prescribed eye drops appropriately.
Methods:
Patients who were covered their medical expense by a social health insurance were subject to this study. Including criteria were followed; diagnosed glaucoma in 2008 or before, prescribed same anti-glaucoma ophthalmic solutions since 2008 to 2011. Patients who had any type of glaucoma surgeries during 2008 to 2011 were excluded. MPR values during January 2009 to December 2009 were calculated based on Japan medical Data Center Claim Data Base, and effects to the MPR of age, sex, and the number of eye drops used were also investigated.
Results:
A total number of glaucoma patients satisfying the including and excluding criteria were 899. Of these, patients who used latanoprost ophthalmic solution only were most frequent. The MPR and its related factors were investigated among these 223 patients consisted of 122 males and 101 females. Mean MPR is 0.895 and female showed higher MPR than male (p<0.05). Male patients showed a significantly positive relation between the MPR and aging (p<0.05), while female patients did a tendency (P=0.09). There was a negative correlation between the number of anti-glaucoma ophthalmic solutions and the MPR.
Conclusions:
The MPR was poor in male and young glaucoma patients, and the increase in number of anti-glaucoma ophthalmic solutions negatively affects the MPR. It is necessary to consider these risk factors and to prepare a proper solution for keeping the MPR good.
Keywords: 464 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment