Evaluation of Treatment Satisfaction for Medication and Related Factors in Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease with multisystemic, complex treatment regimen and high treatment burden. Satisfaction with medication therapy is a subjective perception of patients towards their treatment. Considering that CF patients live with high treatment burden, it is thought that understanding treatment satisfaction and the factors that may be related to it and identifying problems that may affect satisfaction will benefit individual treatment management in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment satisfaction and related quality of life, adherence, and clinical factors in patients with CF and to identify and prevent problems related to drugs and treatment management. This study was conducted between 1 August 2023 and 31 March 2024 in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University. A total of 110 patients aged 18 years and older were included. TSQM (Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication) global satisfaction score was associated with FEV1% (p=0,036), number of hospitalizations (p=0,008), number of inhaled medications (p=0,004) and quality of life domains of respiratory, treatment burden, health perception, role, physical, vitality (p<0,001). No association was found with adherence (p>0,05). The satisfaction score of patients using modulator therapy was found to be higher in all domains except for side effects (p<0,001). 84 drug-related problems, 12 (14.3%) drug interactions were identified in 110 patients, 69 of which were resolved. The fact that medication satisfaction in CF patients is particularly affected by the use of modulators and treatment burden showed that modulators should be provided and recommendations should be made to reduce treatment burden in these patients. In the multidisciplinary service required for CF care, pharmacists can manage the complex treatments of CF and resolve medication-related issues that may affect modulator therapy response and increase burden.