Adherence in Egyptian hypertensive patients to medication beliefs and assessment of microRNAs as a novel biomarker of hypertension in Qaliubeya governorate, Egypt

Mansour, Ahmed E.; Ibrahim, Mohammed A.; Abd Elsamiee, Abeer E.; Ahmed, Eman A.; Mokhtar, Heba A.

doi:10.21608/bmfj.2025.386689.2423

Adherence in Egyptian hypertensive patients to medication beliefs and assessment of microRNAs as a novel biomarker of hypertension in Qaliubeya governorate, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine - Banha University

² Professor of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine - Banha University

³ Assistant Professor of Public Health Faculty of Medicine - Banha University

⁴ M.B.B.Ch, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University

⁵ Lecturer of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine - Banha University

10.21608/bmfj.2025.386689.2423

Abstract

Background & AIM: Medication adherence in hypertensive patients is important because hypertension is a disease that is not curable; therefore, it must always be controlled to avoid complications that can lead to death. Therefore we aimed to determine the percentage of patients adhering to the use of antihypertensive drugs and some factors related to the adherence, and to study the validity of MIR-122 gene as screening tool to detect hypertensive patient with poor adherence to medication. Methods: This prospective study, included included 381 patients, 70 females and 311 males, adherence to treatment was assessed bt Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Serum microRNAs was measured for all studied patients at six months. Results: 149 cases (39.2%) were adherent to treatment and 232 patients (60.8%) weren't adherent to treatment. Patients with poor adherence to treatment had statistically higher Mir-122 expression compared to good adherent group. Mir-122 expression could predict poor adherence to treatment, at a cutoff value > 9.4, the sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 100%, P<0.001. Low educational level, longer duration of HTN treatment, obesity, diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, high blood lipid levels and Mir-122 were significant predictors of poor adherence in the studied group. Conclusion: Low educational level, longer duration of HTN treatment, obesity, diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, high blood lipid levels and Mir-122 were significant predictors of poor adherence in the studied group.

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