Patrick Hlavacek

The prevalence of probable neuropathic pain in the US: results from a multimodal general-population health survey

Background The prevalence of neuropathic pain (NeP) has been estimated within specific health conditions; however, there are no published data on its broad prevalence in the US. The current exploratory study addresses this gap using the validated PainDetect questionnaire as a screener for probable NeP in a general-population health survey conducted with a multimodal recruitment strategy to maximize demographic representativeness. Materials and methods Adult respondents were recruited from a combination of Internet panels, telephone lists, address lists, mall-based interviews, and store-receipt invitations using a random stratified-sampling framework, with strata defined by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Older persons and minorities were oversampled to improve prevalence estimates. Results were weighted to match the total adult US population using US Census data. Demographic information was collected, and respondents who experienced physical pain in the past 12 months completed the PainDetect and provided additional pain history. A cutoff score of 19 or greater on the PainDetect was used to define probable NeP. Results A total of 24,925 respondents (average response rate 2.5%) provided demographic data (52.2% female, mean age 51.5 years); 15,751 respondents reported pain (63.7%), of which 2,548 (15.7%, 95% confidence interval 14.9%–16.5%) had probable NeP based on the PainDetect, which was 10% (95% confidence interval 9.5%–10.5%) of all respondents. Among those reporting pain, the prevalence of probable NeP among Blacks and Hispanics was consistently higher than Whites in each age- and sex group. The highest prevalence among those with pain was among male Hispanics 35–44 years (32.4%) and 45–54 years (24.2%) old. The most commonly used medications reported by those with probable NeP were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (44.2%), followed by weak opioids (31.7%), antiepileptics (10.9%), and strong opioids (10.9%). Conclusion This is the first study to provide an estimate of the prevalence of probable NeP in the US, showing significant variation by age and ethnicity.

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

In this study, all-cause, stroke/systemic embolism (SE)-related, and major bleeding (MB)-related health-care costs among elderly patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) initiating treatment with different oral anticoagulants (OACs) were compared. Patients ≥65 years of age initiating OACs, including apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and warfarin, were identified from the Humana Research Database between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015. Propensity score matching was used to separately match the different OAC cohorts with the apixaban cohort. All-cause health-care costs and stroke/SE-related and MB-related medical costs per patient per month (PPPM) were compared using generalized linear or 2-part regression models. Compared to apixaban, rivaroxaban was associated with significantly higher all-cause health-care costs (US

Humanistic and economic burden of fibromyalgia in Japan

2234 vs US

226) Identification of high healthcare resource utilizers among patients with fibromyalgia using electronic health records

1846 PPPM, P < .001) and MB-related medical costs (US

Humanistic and economic burden of fibromyalgia in Japan [Corrigendum]

106 vs US

REAL-WORLD EVALUATION OF HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY AND COST FOR APIXABAN VERSUS WARFARIN TREATMENT OF HOSPITALIZED VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM PATIENTS IN THE US

47 PPPM, P < .001), dabigatran was associated with significantly higher all-cause health-care costs (US

Epidemiology of Physician-Diagnosed Neuropathic Pain in Brazil

1980 vs US

Real-World Treatment Patterns Among Patients Initiating on Statins in England

1801 PPPM, P = .007), and warfarin was associated with significantly higher all-cause health-care costs (US

424) Characteristics of patients with neuropathic pain screened by the painDETECT and diagnosed by physician exam

2386 vs US

Perspectives on the impact of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in a multicultural population

1929 PPPM, P < .001), stroke/SE-related medical costs (US