Dose adjustment of rheumatology and allergy/immunology medications in chronic kidney disease: awareness and knowledge among internal medicine housestaff.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for adverse drug events due to medication dosing errors. We studied the awareness and knowledge among internal medicine housestaff (IMHS) of proper dose adjustment of commonly used rheumatology and allergy/immunology medications for patients with CKD.

Methods: We surveyed 353 IMHS to evaluate their awareness of the need for medication dose adjustments for patients with CKD and knowledge for medication adjustment by level of glomerular filtration rate for common rheumatology and allergy/immunology medications.

Results: There was lack of awareness and knowledge for both rheumatology and allergy/immunology medications. Incorrect awareness and knowledge were as follows: allopurinol, 21.2%, 73.4%; colchicine, 19.0%, 75.9%; diphenhydramine, 34.0%, 34.0%; loratadine, 82.2%, 93.2%; and montelukast, 34.0%, 34.0%, respectively. Exploratory logistic regression analyses showed that PGY1 residents had higher odds for lack of awareness for allopurinol (odds ratio [OR] 24.57, 95% CI [confidence interval] 4.69, 99.13,  < 0.001), colchicine (OR 3.98, 95% CI 1.50, 10.51,  < 0.01), diphenhydramine (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.10, 4.54,  < 0.04), and montelukast (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.20, 5.00,  < 0.05) than PGY3 residents. A nephrology rotation in medical school was associated with lower odds for incorrect knowledge for allopurinol (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25, 0.87,  < 0.05) and montelukast (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27, 0.92,  < 0.05).

Conclusion: Overall, awareness and knowledge were poor among IMHS for dose adjustments of rheumatology and allergy/immunology medications in patients with CKD. Proper education and exposure to nephrology during training may improve quality and safety of care for patients with CKD.