The medication usage pattern and prevalence of polypharmacy among patients with sickle cell disease: a population-based study in southern Iran.

Background: Due to the numerous complications associated with sickle cell disease (SCD), patients often receive a variety of medications alongside their SCD treatment. However, a notable gap exists in the current literature regarding medication use patterns among them. This study aimed to investigate medication usage patterns in patients with SCD.

Research design and methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted in Bushehr Province, employed a stratified random sampling method to select eligible participants with SCD. A thorough interview gathered various information, including details about the medications. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system was utilized for drug classification. Polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent use of at least five medications.

Results: A total of 300 individuals with SCD were included in this study. Polypharmacy was observed in 26.3% (95% CI: 20.8%-32.8%) of the study population. The analyses revealed positive associations between the use of more concurrent medication use and higher age groups and having multimorbidity. Antianemic preparations (86.7%), antineoplastic agents (58.3%), and vitamins (41.0%) were the most frequent medication classes used by the study participants.

Conclusions: Our study revealed notable underutilization of hydroxyurea and a high rate of polypharmacy, associated with age and multimorbidity, among patients with SCD in southern Iran.