Applying the Arabic Version of CQR-5 on SpA Patients Following in Two Hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Author(s): Bedaiwi M, Meshikhes M*, Albihani A, Omair MA, Almalaq HM, Alqurtas E, Alhamzi H, Nori R, Alzahrani K and Makkawy M
Abstract
Introduction: Evaluation of adherence to medication is a challenging procedure in clinical practice. A reliable measure would be questionnaires such as the Compliance-Questionnaire in Rheumatic disease (CQR) which is a valid, self-administered questionnaire used to detect low adherence to DMARDs in RA. The shortened version of the CQR, the 5-item CQR, was translated and validated in Arabic (ACQR-5). Objectives: The ACQR-5 is used to assess the adherence of patients with axial spondyloarthritis at two hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods Patients with axial SpA diagnosis were recruited from rheumatology clinics at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and from Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital (PMAH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A survey was sent to the patients that includes questions about the patients demographics, comorbidities, disease history, medications history, the ACQR-5, and an Arabic translation of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Functional Index (BASFI). Results: The questionnaire was completed by 104 patients, with a 78% response rate. When ACQR-5 was applied, 89.5% of the patients were adherent to their medications. Except for age, there was no statistical difference in demographic data between low compliance and high compliance group. It was observed that the former group was substantially younger than the latter group (mean age 37 years vs 44 years, P-value 0.030). The mean duration of disease was substantially short for the low compliance than the high compliance group (3 years vs 5.5 years, P-value 0.009). There was no significant change in the BASFI, BASDAI, or agent type. Conclusion: The ACQR-5 is a validated Arabic questionnaire clinicians in Arabic-speaking countries should use to assess adherence in SpA patients.