Brandy Menges

Comparison of effectiveness and safety of treatment with apixaban vs. other oral anticoagulants among elderly nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients

Abstract Objective: To compare the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (S/SE) and major bleeding (MB) of elderly (≥65 years of age) nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients initiating apixaban vs. rivaroxaban, dabigatran, or warfarin. Methods: NVAF patients with Medicare Advantage coverage in the US initiating oral anticoagulants (OACs, index event) were identified from the Humana database (1 January 2013–30 September 2015) and grouped into cohorts depending on OAC initiated. Propensity score matching (PSM), 1:1, was conducted among patients treated with apixaban vs. each other OAC, separately. Rates of S/SE and MB were evaluated in the follow-up. Cox regressions were used to compare the risk of S/SE and MB between apixaban and each of the other OACs during the follow-up. Results: The matched pairs of apixaban vs. rivaroxaban (n = 13,620), apixaban vs. dabigatran (n = 4654), and apixaban vs. warfarin (n = 14,214) were well balanced for key patient characteristics. Adjusted risks for S/SE (hazard ratio [HR] vs. rivaroxaban: 0.72, p = .003; vs. warfarin: 0.65, p < .001) and MB (HR vs. rivaroxaban: 0.49, p < .001; vs. warfarin: 0.53, p < .001) were significantly lower during the follow-up for patients treated with apixaban vs. rivaroxaban and warfarin. Adjusted risks for S/SE (HR: 0.78, p = .27) and MB (HR: 0.82, p = .23) of NVAF patients treated with apixaban vs. dabigatran trended to be lower, but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: In the real-world setting after controlling for differences in patient characteristics, apixaban is associated with significantly lower risk of S/SE and MB than rivaroxaban and warfarin, and a trend towards better outcomes vs. dabigatran among elderly NVAF patients in the US.OBJECTIVE To compare the risk of stroke/systemic embolism (S/SE) and major bleeding (MB) of elderly (≥65 years of age) nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients initiating apixaban vs. rivaroxaban, dabigatran, or warfarin. METHODS NVAF patients with Medicare Advantage coverage in the US initiating oral anticoagulants (OACs, index event) were identified from the Humana database (1/1/2013-9/30/2015) and grouped into cohorts depending on OAC initiated. Propensity score matching (PSM), 1:1, was conducted among patients treated with apixaban vs. each other OAC, separately. Rates of S/SE and MB were evaluated in the follow-up. Cox regressions were used to compare the risk of S/SE and MB between apixaban and each of the other OACs during the follow-up. RESULTS The matched pairs of apixaban vs. rivaroxaban (n = 13,620), apixaban vs. dabigatran (n = 4,654), and apixaban vs. warfarin (n = 14,214) were well balanced for key patient characteristics. Adjusted risks for S/SE (hazard ratio [HR] vs. rivaroxaban: 0.72, p = 0.003; vs. warfarin: 0.65, p < 0.001) and MB (HR vs. rivaroxaban: 0.49, p < 0.001; vs. warfarin: 0.53, p < 0.001) were significantly lower during the follow-up for patients treated with apixaban vs. rivaroxaban and warfarin. Adjusted risks for S/SE (HR: 0.78, p = 0.27) and MB (HR: 0.82, p = 0.23) of NVAF patients treated with apixaban vs. dabigatran trended to be lower, but did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS In the real-world setting after controlling for differences in patient characteristics, apixaban is associated with significantly lower risk of S/SE and MB than rivaroxaban and warfarin, and a trend towards better outcomes vs. dabigatran among elderly NVAF patients in the US.

Evaluation of healthcare resource utilization and incremental economic burden of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia after disease progression to blast phase

Abstract Aims: To evaluate healthcare resource utilization and economic burden of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) progression to the blast phase. Methods: Patients (≥ 18 years) with ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient CML diagnoses were identified from the MarketScan Commercial and Medicare databases (January 1, 2007–June 30, 2015). CML patients were grouped into two study cohorts, those with evidence of disease progression to the blast phase and those without. Patients were required to have continuous medical and prescription coverage during a 12-month baseline period, in which demographics and clinical characteristics were evaluated. All-cause healthcare resource utilization and costs were evaluated during the baseline period, and a variable follow-up period, lasting ≥1 day and up to 1 year. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to compare the incremental costs of CML patients with vs without progression. Results: Of the overall study population, 587 (7%) experienced disease progression and 7,504 (93%) did not. On the index date, of patients with progression, ∼ 31% were treated with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant and 69% with chemotherapy. During the baseline period, mean total healthcare costs, including costs for hospitalizations and outpatient costs, were significantly greater for CML patients with progression as compared to those without progression (

Effect of Apixaban Versus Warfarin Use on Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs Among Elderly Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation

143,778 vs

Comparison of the Cost-Effectiveness of Biologic Drugs Used for Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis Treatment in the United States

53,143, p < .001). During the follow-up, mean total healthcare costs, costs for hospitalizations, and outpatient medical service costs were substantially greater for patients with progression as compared to those without progression; however, costs for outpatient prescriptions were less for patients who progressed. When patient characteristics were controlled for, mean incremental 1-year cost for CML patients with vs without progression was

Major bleeding risk and healthcare economic outcomes of non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients newly-initiated with oral anticoagulant therapy in the real-world setting

270,925 (confidence interval = 

The budget impact of brodalumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis on US commercial health plans

235,290–

All-Cause, Stroke/Systemic Embolism-, and Major Bleeding-Related Health-Care Costs Among Elderly Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Treated With Oral Anticoagulants

311,958, p < .001). Conclusions: The healthcare burden, in terms of healthcare resource utilization and costs, of patients with CML progression is substantial. Healthcare providers and payers should consider various strategies to minimize the rate of CML progression.

Incremental economic burden associated with major bleeding among atrial fibrillation patients treated with factor Xa inhibitors

BACKGROUND The clinical trial ARISTOTLE showed that apixaban was superior to warfarin in reducing the risks of stroke and bleeding among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Further study of the effect of apixaban versus warfarin use on health care resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs in the real-world setting is warranted, especially among elderly patients who are at higher risk of stroke and bleeding. OBJECTIVE To compare HCRU and costs among elderly NVAF patients treated with apixaban versus warfarin in the United States. METHODS Elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years) with Medicare coverage who initiated apixaban or warfarin were identified from the Humana research database during January 1, 2013-September 30, 2015. Patients were required to have 12 months of continuous insurance coverage before drug initiation (baseline period) and an atrial fibrillation diagnosis during the baseline period or on the date of drug initiation. NVAF patients were grouped into cohorts depending on the drug initiated. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to control for differences in demographics and clinical characteristics of study cohorts. Patients were followed after the index date for a variable length of follow-up. All-cause and disease-specific HCRU and costs during the follow-up were evaluated before and after PSM and reported as per patient per year. RESULTS Of the overall (unmatched) population, 8,250 patients (mean age: 78.0 years) initiated apixaban and 14,051 patients (mean age: 78.2 years) initiated warfarin. Among NVAF patients who initiated apixaban versus those who initiated warfarin, mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores (3.0 vs. 3.4, P < 0.001); stroke risk scores, including CHADS2 (2.7 vs. 2.9, P < 0.001) and CHA2DS2-VASc (4.6 vs. 4.7, P < 0.001); and bleeding risk scores, including HAS-BLED (3.1 vs. 3.2, P < 0.001), were lower. Additionally, total annual all-cause health care costs were lower during the baseline period for patients treated with apixaban versus warfarin (

Using Health Care Claims Data to Assess the Prevalence of Hodgkin Lymphoma and Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma in the United States

17,077 vs.

Impact of earlier versus later monitoring on disease progression and healthcare costs among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the United States

20,236, P < 0.001). After PSM, 14,214 patients were matched, with 7,107 in each cohort. Mean age, CCI score, and stroke and bleeding risks were similar between matched cohorts, as were total all-cause health care costs during the baseline period. During the follow-up among matched cohorts, apixaban versus warfarin treatment was associated with higher annual pharmacy costs (