Effectiveness of Pharmacist Interventions in Improving Medication Adherence and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Efforts to control and prevent complications of diabetes mellitus require optimal therapeutic outcomes, which are strongly influenced by patient adherence to antidiabetic therapy. Non-adherence remains one of the main causes of inadequate glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions in improving medication adherence and clinical outcomes among diabetic patients through a systematic review of randomized controlled trial (RCT) articles. Methods: A systematic search was conducted using PubMed and PMC databases, and eligible studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Jadad Scale. Articles that obtained scores of 3 to 5 were included in a quantitative meta-analysis using RevMan, with interpretation focused on forest plots, confidence intervals, heterogeneity, and statistical significance. From 325 articles initially identified, six studies met all inclusion criteria and were eligible for analysis. Results: The meta-analysis demonstrated that pharmacist interventions consistently improved medication adherence, as indicated by a heterogeneity p-value of 0.69, showing similarity across studies. Positive effects were also observed on key clinical outcomes such as reductions in HbA1C and fasting blood glucose levels. However, no significant effects were found on triglyceride levels or body mass index, as the analyzed studies displayed a consistent tendency that these parameters were not influenced by pharmacist interventions. Conclusions: Overall, the findings indicate that pharmacist-led interventions play an important role in enhancing adherence and improving essential clinical outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.