Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Apr 29;8(5):e70780.
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.70780. eCollection 2025 May.

Patient Adherence for Oral Combination Therapies in Diabetes Management: A Scoping Review

Maryam Zarrinkamar  1 , Mojgan Geran  1 , Mohammad Geran  2
Affiliations
Review

Patient Adherence for Oral Combination Therapies in Diabetes Management: A Scoping Review

Maryam Zarrinkamar et al. Health Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Diabetes imposes a global healthcare burden, with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) escalating due to demographic shifts and lifestyle changes. Combination therapies offer promise in managing T2DM, yet patient adherence remains a challenge. This scoping review aims to explore patient adherence to combination therapies in T2DM management.

Materials and methods: This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched until July 10, 2024. Studies focused on patients with T2DM prescribed oral combination therapies were included. Data extraction and synthesis were conducted to identify adherence patterns, influencers, and strategies.

Results: The review identified nine eligible studies spanning from 2004 to 2021, primarily retrospective cohort and cross-sectional designs. Adherence assessment methods varied, with medication possession ratio being the most common. Both dual (loose-dose) and fixed-dose combination therapies were explored. Adherence rates varied across studies and therapies, influenced by factors such as glycemic control, weight management, economic considerations, complexity of regimens, and demographic factors. Bibliometric analysis revealed diverse geographic origins of the included studies and varied adherence assessment methods. Dual therapy regimens demonstrated adherence rates ranging from 49% to 80.8%, while FDC therapies showed adherence rates ranging from 60.3% to 98.9%. Factors influencing adherence included glycemic control, weight management, economic considerations, complexity of regimens, and demographic factors.

Conclusion: Patient adherence to oral combination therapies in diabetes management is complex, affected by clinical, economic, and psychosocial factors. Addressing these issues is crucial for enhancing treatment outcomes and alleviating the burden of diabetes. A patient-centered approach and innovative strategies can empower patients to adhere to medication regimens, improving health outcomes and quality of life.

Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; combination therapy; fixed‐dose combination; medication adherence; oral antihyperglycemic agents.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Locations of included studies measuring adherence of patients to combination antidiabetic drugs. Green countries are included in the study.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Population engaged in the study from different countries.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Mousavi S., Khazeei Tabari M. A., Bagheri A., Samieefar N., Shaterian N., and Kelishadi R., “The Role of p66Shc in Diabetes: A Comprehensive Review From Bench to Bedside,” Journal of Diabetes Research 2022 (2022): 1–15. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chan J. C. N., Lim L.‐L., Wareham N. J., et al., “The Lancet Commission on Diabetes: Using Data to Transform Diabetes Care and Patient Lives,” Lancet 396 (2020b): 2019–2082. - PubMed
    1. Dobrică E. C., Banciu M. L., Kipkorir V., et al., “Diabetes and Skin Cancers: Risk Factors, Molecular Mechanisms and Impact on Prognosis,” World Journal of Clinical Cases 10 (2022): 11214–11225. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Liang D., Cai X., Guan Q., Ou Y., Zheng X., and Lin X., “Burden of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and High Fasting Plasma Glucose in Europe, 1990‐2019: A Comprehensive Analysis From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019,” Frontiers in Endocrinology 14 (2023): 1307432. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ong K. L., Stafford L. K., Mclaughlin S. A., et al., “Global, Regional, and National Burden of Diabetes From 1990 to 2021, With Projections of Prevalence to 2050: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021,” Lancet 402 (2023): 203–234. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources