Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2025

Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
Published on: June 26, 2018
Polypharmacy prevalence and associated factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A single-centre,
Hirofumi Miyake1, Ryuichi Minoda Sada1,2,3, Hiroyuki Akebo1
1Department of General Internal Medicine, Tenri Hospital, Nara, Japan.
Objectives:
This study aimed to clarify factors associated with polypharmacy among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Methods:
This single-centre cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the medical records and questionnaire data of 261 systemic lupus erythematosus patients at a teaching hospital in Japan from 1 September to 30 November 2020. Polypharmacy was defined as the regular administration of five or more oral medications; excessive polypharmacy consisted of the regular use of 10 or more oral medications. This study investigated (1) the prevalence of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy, (2) the distribution of medication types, and (3) the factors associated with polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy.
Results:
The proportions of patients who exhibited polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were 70% and 19%, respectively. Polypharmacy was associated with older age, long duration of systemic lupus erythematosus, high disease activity, and administration of glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive agents. Excessive polypharmacy was associated with a higher updated Charlson comorbidity index, history of visits to multiple internal medicine clinics, and presence of public assistance.
Conclusions:
Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus are related to medical aspects such as disease severity and comorbidities in addition to social aspects such as hospital visitation patterns and economic status.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Influencing Drug Absorption: Disease States and Pharmacology
Substances such as alcohol and specific drugs, including antineoplastics, can also negatively impact drug absorption. For instance,...
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Patient-Related Factors
Age stands as a key determinant in protein-drug binding. Neonates, characterized by low albumin content, experience heightened concentrations of unbound drugs such as phenytoin and...
Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Miscellaneous Factors
Age plays a significant role due to differences in body composition among different age groups. Infants, for instance, have a higher proportion of total body water and lower albumin levels, a protein that binds drugs in the bloodstream. This unique composition in infants enhances the...
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Drug-Related Factors
One crucial factor in drug-protein binding is the drug's lipophilicity or its affinity for fat. More lipophilic drugs tend to have higher binding extents. For example, highly lipophilic drugs like cloxacillin exhibit substantial protein binding, with as much as 95% of the drug binding to proteins. In...
Factors Influencing Drug Absorption: Presystemic Elimination

