BackgroundEvidence suggests that to facilitate physical activity sedentary people may adhere to one component of exercise prescriptions (intensity, duration or frequency) without adhering to other components. Some experts have provided evidence for determinants of adherence to different components among healthy people. However, our understanding remains scarce in this area for patients with neck or low back pain. The aims of this study are to determine whether patients with neck or low back pain have different rates of adherence to exercise components of frequency per week and duration per session when prescribed with a home exercise program, and to identify if adherence to both exercise components have distinct predictive factors.MethodsA cohort of one hundred eighty-four patients with chronic neck or low back pain who attended physiotherapy in eight primary care centers were studied prospectively one month after intervention. The study had three measurement periods: at baseline (measuring characteristics of patients and pain), at the end of physiotherapy intervention (measuring characteristics of the home exercise program) and a month later (measuring professional behaviors during clinical encounters, environmental factors and self-efficacy, and adherence behavior).ResultsAdherence to duration per session (70.9% ± 7.1) was more probable than adherence to frequency per week (60.7% ± 7.0). Self-efficacy was a relevant factor for both exercise components (p < 0.05). The total number of exercises prescribed was predictive of frequency adherence (p < 0.05). Professional behaviors have a distinct influence on exercise components. Frequency adherence is more probable if patients received clarification of their doubts (adjusted OR: 4.1; p < 0.05), and duration adherence is more probable if they are supervised during the learning of exercises (adjusted OR: 3.3; p < 0.05).ConclusionWe have shown in a clinic-based study that adherence to exercise prescription frequency and duration components have distinct levels and predictive factors. We recommend additional study, and advise that differential attention be given in clinical practice to each exercise component for improving adherence.

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to explore perceptions of people with chronic neck or low back pain about how characteristics of home exercise programs and care-provider style during clinical encounters may affect adherence to exercises.MethodsThis is a qualitative study consisting of seven focus groups, with a total of 34 participants presenting chronic neck or low back pain. The subjects were included if they were receiving physiotherapy treatment and were prescribed home-based exercises.ResultsTwo themes emerged: home-based exercise programme conditions and care provider's style. In the first theme, the participants described their positive and negative experiences regarding time consumption, complexity and effects of prescribed exercises. In the second theme, participants perceived more bonding to prescribed exercises when their care provider presented knowledge about the disease, promoted feedback and motivation during exercise instruction, gave them reminders to exercise, or monitored their results and adherence to exercises.ConclusionsOur experiential findings indicate that patient's adherence to home-based exercise is more likely to happen when care providers' style and the content of exercise programme are positively experienced. These findings provide additional information to health care providers, by showing which issues should be considered when delivering health care to patients presenting chronic neck or back pain.

These findings may represent an important potential for improving the adherence of patients with chronic pain to home exercise programmes.

The implementation of a monitoring program for CKD patients was effective in the group in which monitoring was conducted, especially in patients with more advanced stage of CKD.

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of potential clinically significant drug interactions (CSDIs) in HIV-positive individuals and to identify associated risk factors. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted including all HIV-infected out-patients attending the Pharmacy Service of a regional reference hospital in Murcia, south-eastern Spain. The complete treatment was screened for possible CSDIs using the Spanish College of Pharmacists' online software resource, BOT. Additionally, the severity level of the CSDIs involving antiretroviral (ARV) drugs was compared with that established in the specific antiretroviral database InteraccionesHIV.com. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify associated risk factors. ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-eight patients were included in the study. A total of 292 potential drug interactions were identified, of which 102 (34.9%) were CSDIs, of which 52.9% involved ARV drugs. Seven therapeutic drug classes were involved in 75% of CSDIs (protease inhibitors, benzodiazepines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, corticosteroids, antithrombotics and proton pump inhibitors). Factors independently associated with CSDIs were treatment with more than five drugs [odds ratio (OR) 15.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.3-36.2], and treatment with a protease inhibitor (OR 5.3; 95% CI 2.4-11.74). ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that the prevalence of clinically relevant drug−drug interactions is high in HIV-infected patients, and could represent a major health problem. Awareness, recognition and management of drug interactions are important in optimizing the pharmaceutical care of HIV-infected patients and helping to prevent adverse events and/or loss of efficacy of the drugs administered.Keywords: antiretroviral therapy, drug interactions, HIV, outpatient, risk factors Accepted 4 September 2014 IntroductionAs a result of improved antiretroviral therapy (ART), the expected lifespan of HIV-positive individuals has increased dramatically, but comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, renal disease and non-AIDS-related cancers are increasingly common [1]. Because of this comorbidity, a wide variety of drugs (e.g. antidepressives or antibacterials) are used alongside antiretroviral drugs. However, the combination of such drugs presents the potential for drug-drug interactions (DDIs), an important cause of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). . Several studies have suggested a positive correlation between increased age and increased risk for drug interactions in HIV-positive patients [5]. However, most studies focus on interactions involving at least one antiretroviral (ARV) drug and ignore those that involve non-ARV drugs, despite the fact that such drugs may be responsible for undesirable side effects, which may reduce adherence to treatment with a consequent decrease in effectiveness.The recognition and management of drug interactions are imp...