Association of Medication Adherence and Clinical Outcomes in Sarcoidosis

Abstract: Introduction Sarcoidosis, one of the most common interstitial lung diseases, has significant health disparities. Approximately 50% of individuals affected with sarcoidosis will undergo spontaneous remission, but those who do not undergo remission often require long-term or life-long treatment to prevent disease progression. We sought to assess the association between medication adherence and clinical outcomes in sarcoidosis. Methods Adult patients in the Johns Hopkins Sarcoidosis Clinic diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis on treatment were eligible for enrollment. Questionnaires were administered to assess medication adherence, health related quality of life (HRQoL), health care utilization, and sociodemographic information. Clinical information was abstracted from medical charts including lung function, disease duration, comorbidities, and sarcoidosis organ involvement. Results 117 participants were enrolled (57% female, 55% African American, median age of 57 years old). Within the cohort, 66% of individuals reported at least one non-adherent behavior. Higher medication adherence was associated with better HRQoL (p Conclusion This is the first observational study of medication adherence in sarcoidosis. We found that higher medication adherence was associated with better health related quality of life, with African Americans more likely to report non-adherence. Medication adherence may be an important target to improve patient reported outcomes and health disparities in sarcoidosis.