History of Previous Medication Self‐Discontinuation Predicts the Current Adherence to 5‐Aminosalicylates in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

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Aim Medication adherence is critical in 5‐aminosalicylate therapy for patients with ulcerative colitis. Patients with a history of previous medication self‐discontinuation may continue to have low adherence due to the influence of inappropriate disease awareness. This study aimed to determine the association between the history of previous medication self‐discontinuation and current adherence to 5‐aminosalicylates in patients with ulcerative colitis. Methods and Results This cross‐sectional study was conducted in Japan from 2021 to 2024. A self‐administered questionnaire was used in 228 patients with ulcerative colitis who were taking 5‐aminosalicylates. We defined adherence as consumption of ≥ 80% of the prescribed dose. Patients with a history of previous medication self‐discontinuation were defined as having discontinued medication at least once in the past by their own judgment. The current adherence rate to 5‐aminosalicylates in this study was 92.9% (212/228). The proportion of patients with a history of previous medication self‐discontinuation was 7.8% (18/228). History of previous medication self‐discontinuation (p < 0.001), younger age (p < 0.001), and once‐daily 5‐aminosalicylates regimen (p < 0.001) were inversely associated with current adherence to 5‐aminosalicylates. Conclusion History of previous medication self‐discontinuation was inversely associated with current adherence to 5‐aminosalicylates among patients with ulcerative colitis. The results of this study suggest that determining the history of previous medication self‐discontinuation may be a valuable tool in assessing current adherence to 5‐aminosalicylates, which can be cumbersome.