Compliance with topical pilocarpine treatment

Michael A. Kass, David W. Meltzer, Mae Gordon, Dorothy Cooper, Jonathan Goldberg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

321 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using an unobtrusive eyedrop medication monitor, we measured compliance with topical pilocarpine treatment in a sample of 184 patients. The eyedrop monitor recorded electronically the date and time of each pilocarpine administration over a four- to six-week period. The subjects administered a mean ± S.D. of 76.0% ± 24.3% of the prescribed pilocarpine doses. Eleven patients (6%) took less than one quarter and 28 patients (15.2%) took less than one half of the prescribed administrations. In contrast, when the subjects were interviewed they reported taking a mean ± S.D. of 97.1% ± 5.9% of the prescribed pilocarpine doses. As determined by the monitor, 45 patients (24.5%) had at least one day per month with no administrations of pilocarpine; 56 subjects (30.4%) compressed the doses during the daytime hours, leaving an interval between the night dose and the morning dose the next day of 12 hours or more. The rate of compliance was significantly higher (P<.0001) in the 24-hour period preceding the return appointment than in the entire observation period.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)515-523
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican journal of ophthalmology
Volume101
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 15 1986

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