Patient’s knowledge and awareness about the effect of the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements on laboratory test results: a survey in 18 European countries

Simundic A.-M.; Filipi P.; Vrtaric A.; Miler M.; Gabaj N.N.; Kocsis A.; Avram S.; Barhanovic N.G.; Bulo A.; Cadamuro J.; Dongen-Lases E.Van.; Eker P.; Vital-e-Silva A.; Homsak E.; Ibarz M.; Labudovic D.; Nybo M.; Pivovarníková H.; Shmidt I.; Siodmiak J.; Sumarac Z.; Vitkus D.

doi:https://doi.org/10.17116/labs2020901196

Simundic A.-M.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh, Zagreb, Croatia

Filipi P.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia

Vrtaric A.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Miler M.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Gabaj N.N.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Kocsis A.

Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Jósa University Hospital, Mátészalka, Fehérgyarmat, Nyírbátor, Hungary

Avram S.

Department for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Barhanovic N.G.

Center for Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Clinical Center of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro

Bulo A.

Laboratory Department, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, University Hospital Center 'Mother Teresa', University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

Cadamuro J.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

Dongen-Lases E.Van.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Eker P.

Umraniye Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Vital-e-Silva A.

Department of Clinical Pathology, São João Hospital Center, Porto, Portugal

Homsak E.

Department for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Clinical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

Ibarz M.

Laboratory Medicine Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain

Labudovic D.

Department of ME Biochemistry, School of Medicine, SsCyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Skopje, Macedonia

Nybo M.

Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Pivovarníková H.

Synlab slovakia s.r.o. Prešov, Private Diagnostic Laboratory, Hospital Jan Adam Reiman, Prešov, Slovakia

Shmidt I.

Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, Clinical Hospital Saint Luke, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Siodmiak J.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Sumarac Z.

Policlinic Laboratory Diagnostics Department, Center for Medical Biochemistry, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

Vitkus D.

Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

Patient’s knowledge and awareness about the effect of the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements on laboratory test results: a survey in 18 European countries

Authors:

Simundic A.-M., Filipi P., Vrtaric A., Miler M., Gabaj N.N., Kocsis A., Avram S., Barhanovic N.G., Bulo A., Cadamuro J., Dongen-Lases E.Van., Eker P., Vital-e-Silva A., Homsak E., Ibarz M., Labudovic D., Nybo M., Pivovarníková H., Shmidt I., Siodmiak J., Sumarac Z., Vitkus D.

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Journal: Laboratory Service. 2020;9(1): 96‑107

DOI: 10.17116/labs2020901196

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To cite this article:

Simundic A-M, Simundic A-M, Filipi P, et al. . Patient’s knowledge and awareness about the effect of the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements on laboratory test results: a survey in 18 European countries. Laboratory Service. 2020;9(1):96‑107. (In Russ.)
https://doi.org/10.17116/labs2020901196

Подписка 2025 Лабораторная служба (Laboratory Service)

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Abstract:

Background. Nowadays over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements are widely used. Their use can have a significant impact on the validity of laboratory results. The aim of this multicenter European study was to determine the frequency of consumption of various dietary products and OTC drugs among patients and explore their level of knowledge and awareness about the potential impact of various products on laboratory test results. Methods. Eighteen European countries participated in this study. The survey was carried out anonymously on a subsequent series of outpatients (n=200) in each participating country. Included were patients who were referred to the laboratory for blood sampling and who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. The survey included questions about the frequency of consumption of various products, awareness of the importance of informing physicians and laboratory staff about it and information about influence of preanalytical factors in general on laboratory test results. Results. In total, 68% of patients were regularly taking at least one OTC drug or dietary supplement. The frequency of patients consuming at least one OTC drug or dietary supplement differed between countries (p=0.001). Vitamins (38%), minerals (34%), cranberry juice (20%), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (17%) and omega fatty acids (17%) were the most commonly used in our study. Conclusions. The use of various OTC drugs and dietary supplements is highly prevalent in Europe and patients are often not willing to disclose this information to the laboratory staff and ordering physician. The education of both patients and healthcare staff is needed.

Keywords:

diagnostic errors

dietary supplements

diagnostic errors

over-the-counter drugs

dietary supplements

preanalytical phase

over-the-counter drugs

preanalytical variability

preanalytical phase

preanalytical variability

Authors:

Simundic A.-M.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh, Zagreb, Croatia

Filipi P.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Split, Split, Croatia

Vrtaric A.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Miler M.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Gabaj N.N.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia

Kocsis A.

Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Jósa University Hospital, Mátészalka, Fehérgyarmat, Nyírbátor, Hungary

Avram S.

Department for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Barhanovic N.G.

Center for Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Clinical Center of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro

Bulo A.

Laboratory Department, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, University Hospital Center 'Mother Teresa', University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

Cadamuro J.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

Dongen-Lases E.Van.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Eker P.

Umraniye Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Vital-e-Silva A.

Department of Clinical Pathology, São João Hospital Center, Porto, Portugal

Homsak E.

Department for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Clinical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia

Ibarz M.

Laboratory Medicine Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain

Labudovic D.

Department of ME Biochemistry, School of Medicine, SsCyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Skopje, Macedonia

Nybo M.

Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Pivovarníková H.

Synlab slovakia s.r.o. Prešov, Private Diagnostic Laboratory, Hospital Jan Adam Reiman, Prešov, Slovakia

Shmidt I.

Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, Clinical Hospital Saint Luke, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Siodmiak J.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Sumarac Z.

Policlinic Laboratory Diagnostics Department, Center for Medical Biochemistry, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

Vitkus D.

Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

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