Dalia Mahmoud

Lenalidomide performance in the real world: patterns of use and effectiveness in a Medicare population with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Lenalidomide is approved for the treatment of anemia with transfusion dependence (TD) in patients with lower‐risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with 5q deletion (del5q‐MDS), but its “real‐life” use and effect on transfusion needs are unclear. In the current study, the authors examined its use in the Medicare population.

Survival and hospitalization among patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with azacitidine or decitabine in a large managed care population: a real-world, retrospective, claims-based, comparative analysis.

BackgroundThis study examined patient outcomes using real world data for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients initiating treatment.MethodsA retrospective, administrative claims-based, comparative analysis was developed to study outcomes for AML patients initiating treatment with decitabine or azacitidine between January 2006 and June 2012.ResultsTreatment with azacitidine was associated with a longer median overall survival (10.1 versus 6.9 mos., p = 0.007) and a lower risk of hospitalization (HR 0.787, p = 0.02) compared to treatment with decitabine.ConclusionsThis analysis of the outcomes of real-world treatment of AML patients with demethylating agents suggests that azacitidine may result in clinically superior outcomes than decitabine.

Economic burden associated with acute myeloid leukemia treatment

The economic burden associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poorly defined and understudied. The goal of this study is estimate the direct cost of illness for AML in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), by conducting a comprehensive literature review and calculating the average direct cost-of-illness per patient for the first 6 months of therapy. Patients were grouped by therapy: intensive chemotherapy alone; induction chemotherapy followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT); low intensity therapy; and best supportive care. Data suggest that the pathways alloSCT, followed by intensive chemotherapy, are associated with the highest direct costs. Calculated direct costs suggest that they are higher in the US (

Health care utilization and risk of infection and bleeding among patients with myelodysplastic syndromes with/without transfusions, and with/without active therapy

14,014 for BSC-only to

Erratum to: Survival and hospitalization among patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with azacitidine or decitabine in a large managed care population: A real-world, retrospective, claims-based, comparative analysis. [Exp Hematol Oncol 2014, 3:10.]

352,682 for alloSCT) than in the UK (£3708 [

Overall Economic Burden of Total Treatment Costs in Acute Myeloid Leukemia throughout the Course of the Disease

5837] for BSC-only to £112,545 [

Differences In Treatment and Diagnostic Patterns In Private Vs Public Sectors For Deletion 5Q Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) In Mexico: Results From A Physician Survey

177,187]). AML appears to be associated with significant direct economic costs, but more studies are needed to fully assess the economic impact especially in relation to total and indirect costs.

Treatment Persistence with Azacitdine (Vidaza) Is Associated with Lower Inpatient Hospitalization Costs Over Time

Abstract This study utilized claims data from a national US commercial health insurer to examine rates of cytopenia-related complications (significant bleeding, infection) and health care utilization (emergency room visits, inpatient hospitalizations) among patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) within predefined periods of transfusion activity and active therapy. Periods with no transfusions, regardless of relationship to treatment intervention, were associated with lower rates of cytopenia-related complications. These data suggest that eliminating or reducing the need for transfusions may help to reduce MDS-related medical problems, and treatment toward that goal should be considered in patients with MDS needing transfusions.

Quality of Life and Productivity Impact of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): The Patient Perspective

After the publication of this work [1], it was brought to our attention that a statement in the article is not consistent with the data. The statement “Prior RBC transfusions were found to significantly increase the time to hospitalization (adjusted HR 1.373, p = 0.018) while no other covariates examined were found to impact the risk of hospitalization” is not a correct reflection of the results from the data analysis in Table 2 of the article. The corrected statement is provided here as follows: “Prior RBC transfusions were found to significantly shorten the time to hospitalization (adjusted HR 1.373, p = 0.018) while no other covariates examined were found to impact the risk of hospitalization.”