Adherence Outcomes of a Liquid Hydroxyurea Delivery Program in a
Pediatric Population
Abstract
Background: Hydroxyurea remains underutilized in the pediatric
sickle cell population despite its well-known efficacy in decreasing
sickle cell complications and hospitalizations. Access to refills and
liquid formulation remains a critical barrier to adherence to
hydroxyurea regimens. This study was undertaken to determine the
clinical impact of home-delivering compounded liquid hydroxyurea (LHU)
to pediatric patients with sickle cell disease.
Procedure/Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted
using electronic health records and pharmacy databases. Pediatric
patients younger than 21 years of hydroxyurea initiation from March 2016
to July 2020 who received compounded LHU from Boston Medical Center
Pharmacy were included. The primary outcomes of the study were drug
adherence (assessed by evaluating the proportion of days covered), rates
of acute care utilization, laboratory values, and growth metrics before
and after enrolling in the LHU delivery program. Results: The
final cohort included 41 patients. Significant increases in hemoglobin
0.34 g/dl (95% CI: 0.04-0.63, p=0.02) and mean corpuscular volume 3.2
FI (95% CI: 0.92-5.4, p=0.007) occurred. Hospitalizations decreased by
51.3% (p=0.01), and acute chest syndrome episodes decreased by 86.4%
(p=0.02) post-initiation of the LHU delivery program. Drug adherence had
a median value of 0.95 one-year post-initiation of LHU.
Conclusions: Home delivery of compounded LHU improved drug
adherence, decreased hospitalizations, and improved laboratory outcomes
in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease by overcoming barriers to
access. Nationwide implementation of similar home delivery programs can
significantly improve outcomes among pediatric patients with sickle cell
disease.