Griffiths, Robert I.

AbstractIntroductionTransvenous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (TV‐ICD) infection is a serious complication that frequently requires complete device removal for attempted cure, which can be associated with patient morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to assess mortality risk associated with TV‐ICD infection in a large Medicare population with de novo TV‐ICD implants.MethodsA survival analysis was conducted using 100% fee‐for‐service Medicare facility‐level claims data to identify patients who underwent de novo TV‐ICD implantation between 7/2016 and 1/2018. TV‐ICD infection within 2 years of implantation was identified using International Classification of Disease, 10th Edition and current procedural terminology codes. Baseline patient risk factors associated with mortality were identified using the Charlson Comorbidity Index categories. Infection was treated as a time‐dependent variable in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to account for immortal time bias.ResultsAmong 26,742 Medicare patients with de novo TV‐ICD, 518 (1.9%) had a device‐related infection. The overall number of decedents was 4721 (17.7%) over 2 years, with 4555 (17%) in the noninfection group and 166 (32%) in the infection group. After adjusting for baseline patient demographic characteristics and various comorbidities, the presence of TV‐ICD infection was associated with an increase of 2.4 (95% CI: 2.08–2.85) times in the mortality hazard ratio.ConclusionThe rate of TV‐ICD infection and associated mortality in a large, real‐world Medicare population is noteworthy. The positive association between device‐related infection and risk of mortality further highlights the need to reduce infections

Abstract Background DLBCL is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Approximately 50% of DLBCL patients are over age 65. Patterns of care and outcomes in older patients receiving second-line therapy for DLBCL have not been well-characterized. Objective We analyzed patterns of care, overall survival and costs of care in a cohort of older DLBCL patients receiving second-line therapy. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, we identified a cohort age ≥66 with DLBCL diagnosed between 2000 and 2007. Patients had to receive first-line therapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) or a CHOP-like regimen, with or without rituximab. Second-line treatment was defined as either (a) ≥1 new agents < 90 days after discontinuing all first-line agents (refractory disease), or (b) ≥1 agents (including first-line agents) ≥90 days after completion of first-line therapy (relapsed disease). Rituximab monotherapy was excluded (n=736). Patients were enrolled from 12 months prior to diagnosis and followed through 12/31/2009. Observation ended at death, change from coverage, or 12/31/2009. We reviewed the therapies of each patient and classified them into 1 of 3 groups: aggressive, conventional, or palliative. Direct costs to Medicare were calculated using paid amounts over the 24-month period after initiating second-line therapy, weighted to account for censoring, and inflated to 2009 US dollars. Results There were 5,716 first-line DLBCL patients of whom 632 (11%) received second-line therapy (206 refractory and 426 relapsed). The most common aggressive regimens were methotrexate (n=60), [carboplatin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide (n=54)] and [cisplatin, cytarabine, and etoposide (n=23)]. The most common conventional regimens were [cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (n=74)], [cyclophosphamide and etoposide (n=31)]. The most common palliative regimens were etoposide (n=68), [cyclophosphamide and vincristine (n=56)], fludarabine (n=26), and gemcitabine (n=25). Median survival was 13.4 months. Overall, survival was not statistically significantly different among the different treatment approaches in multivariate-adjusted survival models. However, patient characteristics differed significantly between these treatment groups with patients receiving aggressive treatment being younger than in the palliative treatment group (>80 years: 9.1% vs 30.6%; p<0.0001). Similarly refractory patients were more frequent in the aggressive vs. conventional treatment group (53.4% vs. 11.3%; p<0.0001). Significant factors affecting survival included female gender (hazard ratio [HR] 0.65, 95% CI 0.53-0.80), absence of B symptoms at diagnosis (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.89), and presence of anemia at diagnosis (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02-1.55. Multivariate adjusted, cumulative 24-month costs for the reference group for all model variables was $117,442 (95% CI $78,270 to $156,615). Significant factors that modified this cost were age 75-79 (relative to age 66-69; $-28,860), age ≥80 ($-42,262), extranodal involvement at diagnosis ($-15,421), and anemia at diagnosis ($+23,047). Conclusions Second-line therapy for refractory and relapsed DLBCL was associated with high mortality and costs in the Medicare population. While selection bias limits comparison of aggressive vs. conventional therapies, our findings suggest a substantial unmet need in the second-line setting. Disclosures: Danese: Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Medimmune: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding. Griffiths:Amgen, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; MedImmune: Consultancy, Research Funding. Gleeson:Amgen, Inc.: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; MedImmune: Consultancy, Research Funding. Dalvi:Medimmune: Employment, stock Other. Li:Medimmune: Employment, stock Other. Deeter:Medimmune: Consultancy, Employment, stock Other.

Rituximab improves survival in follicular lymphoma (FL), but is considerably more expensive than conventional chemotherapy. We estimated the total direct medical costs, cumulative survival, and cost-effectiveness of adding rituximab to first-line chemotherapy for FL, based on a single source of data representing routine practice in the elderly. Using surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) registry data plus Medicare claims, we identified 1,117 FL patients who received first-line CHOP (cyclophosphamide (C), doxorubicin, vincristine (V), and prednisone (P)) or CVP +/−rituximab. Multivariate regression was used to estimate adjusted cumulative cost and survival differences between the two groups over four years after beginning treatment. The median age was 73 years (minimum 66 years), 56% had stage III-IV disease, and 67% received rituximab. Adding rituximab to first-line chemotherapy was associated with higher adjusted incremental total cost ($18,695; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) $9,302–$28,643) and longer adjusted cumulative survival (0.18 years; 95% CI 0.10–0.27) over four years of followup. The expected cost-effectiveness was $102,142 (95% CI $34,531–296,337) per life-year gained. In routine clinical practice, adding rituximab to first-line chemotherapy for elderly patients with FL results in higher direct medical costs to Medicare and longer cumulative survival after four years.

Abstract Clinical trials have demonstrated that rituximab improves overall survival in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), except in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We used Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)–Medicare data to compare survival in older MCL patients who began chemotherapy with or without rituximab within 180 days of diagnosis. Patients were followed from diagnosis (January 1999 to December 2005) until death or the end of observation (December 2007). Medicare administrative and claims data were used to identify the date and cause of death and the immunochemotherapy regimen. Of 638 patients, the mean age at diagnosis was 75 years, 75% had stage III/IV disease, 67% had extranodal involvement, and 64% received rituximab. The average length of first-line treatment was 21 weeks, with no difference between the 2 groups (P = .76). Median survival was 27 months for chemotherapy alone, compared with 37 months for chemotherapy plus rituximab (P < .001). In multivariate analysis of 2-year survival, rituximab plus chemotherapy was associated with lower all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.82; P < .01), and cancer-specific (HR 0.56; 95% CI 0.37-0.84; P < .01) mortality. Results were similar when using the entire observation period, propensity score analysis, and limiting chemotherapy to CHOP/CHOP-like. We conclude that first-line chemotherapy including rituximab is associated with significantly improved survival in older patients diagnosed with MCL.

Abstract The study goal was to characterize older chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and to evaluate outcomes in those patients who initiated infused therapy. Patients 66 years of age and older in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program with a CLL diagnosis were matched to their Medicare Part A and Part B claims for long-term follow-up. Treatment patterns, survival after initiation of infused therapy, and both hematologic and hospitalization outcomes were assessed. There were 6433 CLL patients identified, and 2040 received infused therapy. Treated patients were categorized as receiving rituximab monotherapy (16%), rituximab plus chemotherapy (14%), and chemotherapy alone (70%) based on the initial 60 days after infusion. Rituximab plus chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone was associated with a 25% lower risk of overall mortality (95% confidence interval, 9%-38%). Restricting to patients age 70 years and older did not change the risk reduction for rituximab plus chemotherapy. Hematologic interventions were more common with rituximab plus chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone, but there was no difference in all-cause hospitalizations. These analyses, based on observational data, suggest that the benefits of initial therapy with rituximab in a heterogeneous group of older CLL patients are comparable with those demonstrated in younger patients.