Cheng, Wendy Y.

Abstract Background Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ); however, relevant cost and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) data are limited. Methods We estimated HCRU (hospitalization, emergency department [ED], and outpatient visits) and costs in patients with UC or CD, with and without HZ, using administrative claims data (October 2015–February 2020). HCRU and costs (2020 US dollars) were compared at 1 month, 1 quarter, and 1 year after the index date, using propensity score adjustment and generalized linear models. Results In total, 20 948 patients were included: UC+/HZ+ (n = 431), UC+/HZ– (n = 10 285), CD+/HZ+ (n = 435), and CD+/HZ– (n = 9797). Patients with HZ had higher all-cause HCRU rates and all-cause total healthcare costs relative to those without HZ. In the first month, adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) for hospitalizations and ED visits for patients with UC and HZ compared with UC alone were 2.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.93–4.27) and 2.66 (95% CI,1.74–4.05), respectively; for those with CD and HZ, aIRRs were 3.34 (95% CI, 2.38–4.70) and 3.31 (95% CI, 2.32–4.71), respectively, compared with CD alone (all P < .001). Adjusted cost differences in UC and CD cohorts with HZ over the first month were $2189 and $3774, respectively, chiefly driven by higher inpatient costs. The incremental impact on HCRU and costs in cohorts with HZ predominantly occurred during the first quarter following diagnosis. Conclusions HZ is associated with increased HCRU and costs in patients with UC and CD, especially shortly after diagnosis.

AbstractBackgroundPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). We evaluated the incidence of HZ in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and compared this with HZ incidence in a non-IBD population.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study (GSK study identifier: VEO-000043) of adults aged ≥18 years with UC and CD and without IBD who were identified from claims recorded in a US healthcare database between October 2015 and February 2020. Crude HZ incidence rates/1,000 person-years (PY) were calculated, and comparisons of HZ incidence rates between UC or CD and non-IBD cohorts were made using adjusted generalized linear models.ResultsThe study population comprised a total of 29,928 UC, 25,959 CD, and 11,839,329 non-IBD patients. Crude overall HZ incidence rates were 13.64/1,000 PY (UC), 15.94/1,000 PY (CD), and 7.95/1,000 PY (non-IBD). UC and CD patients had increased HZ incidence rates, with adjusted incidence rate ratios of 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–1.44) and 1.66 (95% CI, 1.56–1.77), respectively, compared with non-IBD patients. Stratified analysis indicated increased relative rates of HZ in progressively younger age strata in the UC and CD patients compared with non-IBD patients. HZ incidence rates were higher in UC and CD patients who had previously received thiopurines or methotrexate, TNF-inhibitors, or corticosteroids than in UC and CD patients who did not take those medicines.ConclusionUC and CD patients had increased HZ incidence rates compared with patients without IBD, demonstrating the importance of HZ prevention in IBD patients.

Abstract Introduction Myelofibrosis (MF) is a chronic myeloid neoplasm in which 75% of patients have anemia and 25% are erythrocyte transfusion-dependent (TD) (Emanuel et. al. JCO 2012). MF patients receiving chronic transfusions are at risk of multiple co-morbid conditions and iron overload may develop with potential for end-organ damage. Iron chelating therapies (ICTs) help eliminate iron surplus by binding with plasma iron to form a non-toxic conjugate that can be safely excreted from the body. The objective of this study was to examine transfusion patterns and incidence of MF-related complications in TD MF patients treated with vs. without ICT from a US managed care perspective. Methods Two commercial claims databases, Truven Health Analytics MarketScan (2000-2012) and PharMetrics Integrated Database (2001-2012) were used to address the study objectives. Patients with ≥2 MF ICD-9 diagnosis codes (238.76, 289.83) ≥30 days apart, ≥18 years at the time of the first observed diagnosis for MF, and ≥6 months of continuous enrollment prior to the first observed evidence of transfusion dependency (index date), defined as ≥3 transfusion events within any 3-month period, were included (modified Gale et al. Criteria). A transfusion event was defined as a unique day when ≥1 procedure code for packed red blood cells, whole blood, or exchange transfusion was recorded. Frequency of transfusions and time from first evidence of TD to initiation of ICT were analyzed. Incidence of MF-related complications was assessed using incidence rates (IR) and compared between TD patients with vs. without ICT using adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR), adjusting for baseline comorbidities and complications. Results Characteristics of MF patients receiving ICT: Of the 571 TD MF patients who met the inclusion criteria, 103 (18%) received ICT and 468 (82%) did not. Mean (SD) age was similar between the two groups (with ICT: 67.2 (10.4) vs. without ICT: 66.6 (11.7), p=0.65), but the proportion of men was higher in the ICT group (with ICT: 70.9% vs. without ICT: 58.3%, p=0.02). The mean (SD) observation time was longer for patients with ICT than without ICT (months, 22.2 [13.9] vs. 12.6 [11.6], p<0.001). A greater proportion of TD patients without ICT had a history of essential thrombocythemia (with ICT: 11.7% vs. without ICT: 20.9%), whereas the proportion of patients with prior polycythemia vera was similar between the two groups (with ICT: 11.7% vs. without ICT: 13.7%). Differences in TD MF patients by utilization of ICT: Overall, patients without ICT were generally more ill than those with ICT (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI], with ICT: 1.8 vs. without ICT: 2.3, p=0.01). The mean (SD) number of transfusion events per year was similar between the two groups with 22.4 (19.5) events/year in the group with ICT compared to 22.2 (28.5) events/year in the group without ICT (p=0.94). Among patients receiving ICT, therapy was initiated after a median time of 5.6 months following the first evidence of TD. TD patients with ICT had lower rates of thrombocytopenia (aIRR: 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.40-0.74) and pancytopenia (aIRR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.37-0.76), but higher rates of anemia (aIRR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.27-2.02). The incidence of other MF-related complications considered was similar between the two groups. Conclusion In this first analysis of the utilization of ICT amongst MF patients whom are TD we identified several important differences between those receiving ICT compared to those who do not. Whether these difference are a result of ICT, or a reflection of whether physician practice leads to ICT utilization in certain subsets of MF patients (i.e. those with less thrombocytopenia/leukopenia) could not be assessed with the current data. Potential short term and long term benefits of ICT in MF need to be validated in prospective clinical trials. Disclosures Vekeman: Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Cheng:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Sasane:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Huynh:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Kaminsky:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Duh:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Paley:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Mesa:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Research Funding; Gilead Sciences: Research Funding; CTI: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; Lilly: Research Funding.