Barriers to Adherence with Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients with Uveitis

Purpose: To evaluate the barriers to adherence with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) for patients with uveitis across multiple regions of the United States. Methods: A multi-center survey of adult and pediatric patients with ocular inflammatory diseases undergoing treatment with IMT was conducted between September 2021 and August 2022. Participating sites included Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, Wong Eye Institute of the University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Minnesota, Veterans Affairs Hospital of Minneapolis, and Washington University of St. Louis. Each patient completed a self-reporting survey to identify barriers to adherence. Results: The survey was completed by 98 subjects, of whom were 71% white, 67% female, and 61% had a college or advanced degree. Nearly half (49%) were on two or more IMTs of which the most common were methotrexate (38%), mycophenolate (36%), or adalimumab (36%). Nearly half (52%) of patients required reminders to take their medications and 20% found it difficult to take IMT regularly, with 12% struggling to take medications multiple times a day. A lack of refills resulted in 15% of patients missing doses. Limitations to completing laboratory studies to monitor for drug-related side-effects included finding time (10%) and cost (22%). Conclusion: Barriers to IMT treatment include laboratory study cost, difficulty with medication administration, and adhering to medication schedules. Monthly cost of medication was high for some, but no patients were unable to take IMT due to insurance loss. Addressing these barriers may improve IMT adherence for uveitis patients and better clinical outcomes.