educAR: Improving Adherence in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatment adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is estimated to be between 50-80%. Non-adherence is a health problem with a significant economic impact. The causes of non-adherence are multiple and require individualized care that is difficult both to implement at the professional level and to prove effective.

Based on recent international recommendations and previous work from the research team, plus a qualitative study with multi-stakeholders, the investigators have designed a web-based strategy to avoid non-adherence in RA.

The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based, consensus-based adherence intervention strategy for improving adherence in patients with RA.

Secondary objectives are to evaluate the impact on disease activity, healthy habits (diet/exercise), cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life and patient satisfaction.

The investigators have designed a cluster clinical trial of 6-month duration.

Fifteen centres will be randomised to receive access and instruction on the strategy or to continue standard care. Centre recruitment is on a voluntary basis, understanding that access to the educational tool will be delayed in case of being assigned to the control group.

The intervention is a web-based tool with educational and practical materials for the patient and for the physician (this part will be protected with a password during the duration of the trial). Physicians (prescribers or non-prescribers) in centres assigned to the intervention will be invited to be instructed on the materials (text, videos, checklists, calendars, etc).

Control will be standard care.

Each centre will recruit 15 consecutive adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (as stated in the clinical records), less than 2 years since diagnosis and living independently.

The primary outcome will be therapeutic adherence (patient-level), defined as a score ≥ 80% in the Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology (CQR) and in the Adherence Medication Scale (RAM).

Secondary outcomes will be adherence to physical activity, a Mediterranean diet, lifestyle changes and disease activity.

Accepting an alpha risk of 0.05 and a beta risk of 0.20 in a bilateral contrast, 79 patients per group are required, assuming that the initial proportion of adherent patients is 70% and at the end of the intervention, it would increase to 90% (only in the intervention group, in the control it would not change). A lost-to-follow-up rate of 25% has been estimated.

If 10 centres are selected to have at least 5 clusters for each group, this would correspond, rounding up, to 16 patients per centre, or a total of 160 patients.

The effect of the intervention on adherence to treatment will be refuted by the chi-square test and measured by relative risk (RR) and difference of proportions.