Effectiveness of pharmacist intervention model for chronic kidney disease patients; a prospective comparative study

Background Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a global health concern with profound risk of cardiovascular disease, end stage renal failure and early mortality. Pharmacists' interventions during chronic disease management have been promising. However, evidence of pharmacist`s involvement in chronic kidney dosease is limited, particularly in developing countries. Objective To implement and evaluate the impact of pharmacist led intervention among pre-dialysis CKD patients. Setting Nephrology outpatient department of tertiary healthcare hospital. Methods Patients with chronic kidney disease from stage 2 to 4 attending hospital between October to December 2018 were enrolled in a multi-arm pre-post prospective study. Pharmacist interventional model consisted of disease education, dietary recommendations, counseling to improve medication adherence along with telephonic follow-up. Interventional group received pharmacist interventional model; whereas control group only received the usual care. The impact of pharmacist`s involvements were evaluated by observing the improvements in knowledge and adherence scores, physiological profile and body composition analysis assessed by body composition monitor (BF-508(R)) at the end of follow-up of 3 months. Both intervention and control groups were compared by appropriate statistical techniques. Main outcome measure Knowledge and adherence scores, physiological profile and body composition analysis Results Total 120 patients (60 in each group) completed the study. Baseline variables were comparable between the two groups. Pharmacist interventional model causes significant improvement in knowledge score upon follow up between intervention and control groups (19.10 +/- 3.65 versus 17.57 +/- 3.55, p = 0.022). Likewise, Medication adherence score of intervention group significantly improved as compared to control group (p < 0.05) following the implementation of pharmacist intervention model. Physiological analysis showed small improvements in the intervention group but were not significant. Body composition analysis revealed higher body and visceral fat in both groups at the end of follow up. Conclusion Our analysis underscored that the tested pharmacist interventional model is an effective tool in improving disease knowledge and medication adherence among patients with chronic kideney disease.