B. Mitchell

Comparison of Medication Adherence and Healthcare Costs between Duloxetine and Pregabalin Initiators among Patients with Fibromyalgia

Objective:  To examine and compare medication adherence and direct healthcare costs between duloxetine and pregabalin initiators among patients with fibromyalgia.

Factors associated with treatment of women with osteoporosis or osteopenia from a national survey

BackgroundHealth outcomes could be improved if women at high risk for osteoporotic fracture were matched to effective treatment. This study determined the extent to which treatment for osteoporosis/osteopenia corresponded to the presence of specific risk factors for osteoporotic fracture.MethodsThis retrospective analysis of the United States 2007 National Health and Wellness Survey included women age ≥ 40 years who reported having a diagnosis of osteoporosis (69% of 3276) or osteopenia (31% of 3276). Patients were stratified by whether they were or were not taking prescription treatment for osteoporosis/osteopenia. Using 34 patient characteristics as covariates, logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with treatment.ResultsCurrent prescription treatment was reported by 1800 of 3276 (54.9%) women with osteoporosis/osteopenia. The following factors were associated with receiving prescription treatment: patient-reported diagnosis of osteoporosis (versus osteopenia); previous bone mineral density test; ≥ 2 fractures since age 50; older age; lower body mass index; better physical functioning; postmenopausal status; family history of osteoporosis; fewer comorbidities; prescription insurance coverage; higher total prescription count; higher ratio of prescription costs to monthly income; higher income; single status; previous visit to a rheumatologist or gynecologist; and 1 or 2 outpatient visits to healthcare provider (vs. none) in the prior 6 months. Glucocorticoid, tobacco, and daily alcohol use were risk factors for fracture that were not associated with treatment.ConclusionsThere is a mismatch between those women who could benefit from treatment for osteoporosis and those who are actually treated. For example, self-reported use of glucocorticoids, tobacco, and alcohol were not associated with prescription treatment of osteoporosis. Other clinical and socioeconomic factors were associated with treatment (e.g. prescription drug coverage and higher income) or not (e.g. comorbid osteoarthritis and anxiety) and could be opportunities to improve care.

Hypoglycaemic events in patients with type 2 diabetes in the United Kingdom: associations with patient-reported outcomes and self-reported HbA1c

BackgroundOne possible barrier to effective diabetes self-management is hypoglycaemia associated with diabetes medication. The current study was conducted to characterize hypoglycaemic events among UK patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) treated with antihyperglycaemic medications, and assess the relationship between experience of hypoglycaemic events and health outcomes, including glycaemic control, health-related quality of life, impairment to work and non-work activities, treatment satisfaction, adherence to treatment, fear of hypoglycaemia, and healthcare resource use.MethodsAn online survey of 1,329 T2D patients in UK drawn from an opt-in survey panel was conducted in February of 2012 with monthly follow-up questionnaires for five months. Measures included self-reported HbA1c, EQ-5D, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, Diabetes Medication Satisfaction Tool, Morisky medication adherence scale, the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey (revised), and self-reported healthcare resource use. Comparisons were conducted using t-tests and chi-square tests for continuous and categorical variables, respectively.ResultsBaseline comparisons showed that worse HbA1c, greater diabetes-related healthcare resource use, greater fear of hypoglycaemia, and impaired health outcomes were associated with experience of hypoglycaemia in the four weeks prior to baseline. Longitudinal results were similar in direction but differences on few measures were significant.ConclusionsIn real-world UK T2D patients, hypoglycaemia is associated with worse self-reported glycaemic control, behaviours that contribute to worse glycaemic control, and impairment in patient-reported outcomes.

Compliance with mammography and bone mineral density screening in women at least 50 years old.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the utilization of mammography and bone mineral density (BMD) screenings and factors associated with compliance according to the recommended clinical practice guidelines. Methods: Mammography and BMD were assessed using employers administrative claims data for eligible women identified between January 2004 and December 2006. Women were categorized into five cohorts based on mammography- and BMD-recommended screening guidelines. Logistic regression modeling was used to examine the covariates associated with compliance. Results: Mammography and BMD screening utilization were low in relation to recommendations, with 21%, 27%, and 16% of women complying with mammography, age-motivated BMD, and fracture-motivated BMD screening guidelines, respectively. BMD screening use (odds ratio [OR], 7.19; 95% CI, 7.08-7.31) was associated with compliance in the mammogram cohort. Mammogram use was associated with compliance in both the age-motivated BMD cohort (OR, 6.01; 95% CI, 5.28-6.85) and the fracture-motivated BMD cohort (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 2.07-2.33). Having a Papanicolaou test was strongly associated with compliance in the combined mammogram plus age-motivated BMD cohort (OR, 16.83; 95% CI, 14.01-20.22) and the combined mammogram plus fracture-motivated BMD cohort (OR, 10.46; 95% CI 9.26-11.81). Conclusions: Postmenopausal women with employer-sponsored health insurance had low utilization of mammography and BMD screening relative to clinical guidelines. Use of other health screening services was associated with compliance with guidelines. Methods to improve adherence to mammography and BMD screening guidelines should be explored, which could possibly leverage the increased likelihood that women who receive one screening service will receive another.

Estimated risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women with and without family history of the disease.

Objective: To characterize the estimated risk of invasive breast cancer (IBC) in postmenopausal women without a family history of breast cancer (FHBC), baseline risk scores were calculated using the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment tool. We also analyzed the incidence rates of IBC stratified by FHBC. Methods: For the Continuing Outcomes Relevant to Evista (CORE) study population (n = 3,991; excluding women ≥86 y of age or with a history of ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ), the prevalence of risk factors to the overall IBC risk was calculated. To evaluate IBC incidence rates, the placebo arm of the CORE trial (n = 1,275) was pooled with the placebo arm of the Raloxifene Use for the Heart trial (n = 5,047; total of 6,322 women). Results: Common risk factors in the CORE population were age 65 years or older (78.4%) and menarche at 12 years or younger (29.4%). Incidence rates of IBC in the CORE plus Raloxifene Use for the Heart trial placebo populations correlated with IBC risk estimates; incidence rates were higher as risk scores increased. Of those who developed IBC, 65% (60/92) had scores between 1% and 2% and did not have FHBC; nearly half (43%; 40/92) had risk scores below the high-risk cutoff of 1.66%. Conclusions: A significant portion of women who develop IBC do not have a family history of the disease. FHBC is important in assessing IBC risk; however, other relevant risk factors, together with FHBC and results from a validated tool risk assessment tool, should be jointly considered to develop a complete assessment of womens IBC risk.

Patient characteristics and utilization of breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures prior to initiation of raloxifene, bisphosphonates and calcitonin.

Abstract Objective: This study evaluated the characteristics of postmenopausal women who initiated on raloxifene, bisphosphonates, and calcitonin, specifically evaluating the use of breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures prior to initiation of therapy. Research design and methods: Women 50 years and older with at least one claim for raloxifene (RLX), bisphosphonates (BIS), or calcitonin (CT) in 2005 or 2006 and continuous enrollment (with consecutive gaps in enrollment of no more than 1 month) from January 2004 to December 2007 were identified in a large national commercial and Medicare claims database. Treatment-naïve postmenopausal women initiating on raloxifene, bisphosphonates, and calcitonin were compared in terms of breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures (i.e., mammogram, breast MRI, ultrasound, and biopsy) as well as age, provider specialty, fractures, bone mineral density screening, Chronic Disease Scores, and comorbidities. Results: Treatment-naïve patients initiated on raloxifene were younger than those initiated on bisphosphonates and calcitonin (mean age 63 years [RLX], 66 years [BIS], 72 years [CT]; p < 0.05). Treatment-naïve patients initiated on raloxifene were more likely to have had breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures in the 12 months prior to therapy initiation than treatment-naïve bisphosphonate or calcitonin patients (RLX 61%, BIS 57%, CT 41%; p < 0.05), and were more likely to have an increased frequency of mammograms in the 12 months after therapy initiation (RLX 18%, BIS 16%, CT 15%; p < 0.05). Calcitonin patients were the most likely to have had a fracture in the pre-period followed by bisphosphonates then raloxifene patients. Conclusion: These data suggest that there are differences in the clinical characteristics of postmenopausal women who initiate osteoporosis medications specifically in regards to age, pre-period fractures and breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedure use prior to initiation. Key limitations include general claims database limitations, lack of ability to assess behavior change, and lack of information on therapy initiation rationale.

Glycemic control and the first use of oral antidiabetic agents among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract Objective: Examine how patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are treated with oral antidiabetic (OAD) agents and the relationship between treatment patterns and glycemic control. Research design and methods: Data were obtained from the i3 Invision Data Mart database (OptumInsight, Eden Prairie, MN, USA). The analyses examined 4627 individuals who received a first prescription for an OAD (with first date identified as index date) and received at least one HbA1c test in both the 1 year prior and 2 years post index date. Patients were categorized based upon their level of glycemic control pre index date and logistic multivariate analyses were used to examine the probability of a patient’s first treatment pattern change being a switch, augmentation, or discontinuation compared to continuation on the intent-to-treat (ITT) OAD. Results: Men tended to have worse glycemic control at OAD initiation. During the post-period, younger patients were more likely to switch, augment or discontinue therapy, while patients initially treated with metformin were more likely to switch or augment therapy. Results indicated that patients with moderate or poor glycemic control, compared to those with good glycemic control, were significantly more likely to switch or augment therapy. Practice patterns revealed minimal use of insulin although, on average, many patients were above target HbA1c levels at initiation. Interpretation of results are limited by the fact that only a small subset of patients had valid HbA1c data and that the analyses was not able to account for other factors, such as race and weight, that may also impact the analyses. Conclusions: Patient initial level of glycemic control was associated with changes in treatment patterns in the 2 years post initiation on an OAD, with patients with moderate or poor control more likely to switch or augment their ITT therapy, compared to individuals with good control.