Maintenance therapy

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Maintenance therapy is a medical therapy that is designed to help a primary treatment succeed. [1] For example, maintenance chemotherapy may be given to people who have a cancer in remission in an attempt to prevent a relapse. [2] This form of treatment is also a common approach for the management of many incurable, chronic diseases such as periodontal disease, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. [3] [4]

Contents

Challenges and Management

The success of maintenance therapy relies heavily on patient adherence, which can be difficult to sustain over long periods, particularly when a patient is in remission or asymptomatic. Research indicates that approximately 50% of patients with chronic conditions do not adhere to their prescribed maintenance regimens. [5] [6] Common barriers include forgetfulness, the complexity of the treatment schedule, and a lack of immediate symptoms, which can lead patients to underestimate the necessity of continued therapy. [7] To address these challenges, healthcare providers often recommend behavioral strategies and digital health interventions. Simple tools such as SMS reminders, mobile applications for tracking, and electronic monitoring devices have been shown to significantly improve adherence by helping patients establish consistent routines. [8] [9]

References

  1. ↑ Definition of Maintenance therapy at MedicineNet
  2. ↑ Berinstein NL (2006). "Principles of maintenance therapy". Leuk. Res. 30 Suppl 1: S3–10. doi:10.1016/S0145-2126(06)80002-0. PMID   16750676.
  3. ↑ Pastagia J, Nicoara P, Robertson PB (2006). "The effect of patient-centered plaque control and periodontal maintenance therapy on adverse outcomes of periodontitis". J Evid Based Dent Pract. 6 (1): 25–32. doi:10.1016/j.jebdp.2005.12.009. PMID   17138393.
  4. ↑ Orchard T, Probert CS, Keshav S (2006). "Review article: maintenance therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis". Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 24 Suppl 1: 17–22. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03071.x . PMID   16939425.
  5. ↑ Religioni, Urszula; Barrios-Rodríguez, Rocío; Requena, Pilar; Borowska, Mariola; Ostrowski, Janusz (2025-01-17). "Enhancing Therapy Adherence: Impact on Clinical Outcomes, Healthcare Costs, and Patient Quality of Life". Medicina. 61 (1): 153. doi: 10.3390/medicina61010153 . ISSN   1648-9144. PMC   11766829 . PMID   39859135.
  6. ↑ Neiman, Andrea B. (2017). "CDC Grand Rounds: Improving Medication Adherence for Chronic Disease Management — Innovations and Opportunities". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 66 (45): 1248–1251. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6645a2. ISSN   0149-2195. PMC   5726246 . PMID   29145353.
  7. ↑ Patel, Sheena; Huang, Mingyi; Miliara, Sophia (2025-08-26). "Understanding Treatment Adherence in Chronic Diseases: Challenges, Consequences, and Strategies for Improvement". Journal of Clinical Medicine. 14 (17): 6034. doi: 10.3390/jcm14176034 . ISSN   2077-0383. PMC   12429436 . PMID   40943792.
  8. ↑ Moon, Zoe; Walsh, Jane (2025-10-10). "Digital interventions in medication adherence: a narrative review of current evidence and challenges". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 16 1632474. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1632474 . ISSN   1663-9812. PMC   12549263 . PMID   41142237.
  9. ↑ Chan, Amy; De Simoni, Anna; Wileman, Vari; Holliday, Lois; Newby, Chris J; Chisari, Claudia; Ali, Sana; Zhu, Natalee; Padakanti, Prathima; Pinprachanan, Vasita; Ting, Victoria; Griffiths, Chris J (2022-06-13). Cochrane Airways Group (ed.). "Digital interventions to improve adherence to maintenance medication in asthma". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2022 (6). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013030.pub2. PMID   35691614.


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