Daily text message reminders can significantly improve adherence to allopurinol treatment and lower serum uric acid level in people with gout, according to research presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Congress, held in Amsterdam, June 13 to 16, 2018.1

Researchers from Thailand randomly assigned 42 patients to receive a text message reminder to take allopurinol treatment for 90 days. The control group (n=40) received a weekly short message that contained information on nonpharmacologic gout treatment.

Study participants had been receiving allopurinol treatment for at least 1 month and had an estimated glomerular filtration rate greater than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2. The primary outcome of the study was adherence to allopurinol therapy and serum uric acid level at 12 weeks. No significant difference between serum uric acid level was noted at baseline (7.66 vs 7.78 mg/dL in the intervention and control groups, respectively).

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At 12 weeks, 88.1% of patients in the intervention group achieved adherence compared with none of those in the control group (relative risk, 71.5; 95% CI, 4.65-1126.80; P =.002). In addition, the intervention group experienced a significantly greater reduction in serum uric acid level (-1.47 vs -0.28 mg/dL; P <.001) as well as a significantly decreased level of serum creatinine (-0.03 mg/dL; P <.031).

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“Our results clearly show that mobile phone text reminders could be an important tool to enhance allopurinol adherence and help in controlling serum urate levels in gout patients,” said the study authors in a press release.2 

References

  1. Bunphong K, Narongroeknawin P. Mobile phone text messages for improving allopurinol adherence: a randomized controlled trial of text message reminders. Presented at: European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Congress 2018; June 13-16, 2018; Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Abstract OP0212.
  2. Daily text message may improve adherence and treatment outcomes in patients with gout [news release]. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) 2018. Published June 14, 2018. Accessed June 14, 2018.

This article originally appeared on Rheumatology Advisor

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