Table 6 Studies evaluating technology-based adherence-promoting interventions among kidney transplant recipients
From: ICT-based adherence monitoring in kidney transplant recipients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors, Year [Ref.] | Study design and sample | Intervention | Duration | Adherence | Results for adherence and clinical outcomes | Advantage | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Henriksson et al., 2016 [9] | RCT n = 80 (40 intervention, 40 control) | Device: Electronic medication dispenser Feedback: emitted visual and audible alerts | 12 months | Dose-taking adherence | No significant differences in tacrolimus trough levels, risk of BPAR, or creatinine levels | No adherence information in the control group Measured only dispenser opening, not actual pill ingestion | |
Reese et al., 2017 [8] | RCT n = 117 (40 reminders, 39 reminders plus provider notification, 38 control) | Device: Electronic medication monitor and reminders either alone or in combination with provider notification Feedback: alarms, texts, telephone calls, and/or e-mails | 6 months | Dose-taking adherence | Significantly better adherence with reminders plus provider notification and with reminders alone compared to in the control group No significant difference in tacrolimus trough levels | Various feedback methods | Measured only dispenser opening, not actual pill ingestion |
Foster et al., 2018 [7] | RCT N = 169 (81 intervention, 88 control) | Device: Electronic medication monitor and face-to-face education Feedback: text messages, e-mails, and/or visual cue dose reminders | 12 months | Dose-taking adherence and dose-frequency adherence | Intervention group had significantly better adherence than the control group No significant difference in the standard deviation of tacrolimus trough levels | Various feedback methods | Measured only dispenser opening, not actual pill ingestion |
Jung et al., 2020 [the current study] | RCT N = 105 (51 intervention, 54 control) | Device: Smart pill box Feedback: text messages, pill box alarms | 6 months | Dose-taking adherence, dose-frequency adherence, and dose-interval adherence | No significant difference in adherence, tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid trough levels, coefficient of variation of drug levels, and risk of the development of de novo anti-HLA antibodies | The ICT-based centralized monitoring system can be linked to not only smart pill box but also blood sugar meter, electrocardiogram, spirometry, and INR meter | Measured only box opening, not actual pill ingestion |