Physician survey of the effect of the 21-gene recurrence score assay results on treatment recommendations for patients with lymph node-positive, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Purpose: To survey the effect of the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) assay results on adjuvant treatment recommendations for patients with lymph node-positive (N+), estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer.

Methods: Medical oncologists who ordered the 21-gene RS assay were invited to complete a survey regarding their most recent patient with N+/ER+ breast cancer. We obtained responses from 160 (16%) of the 1,017 medical oncologists.

Cost and utilization of COPD and asthma among insured adults in the US.

Objectives: This study evaluates the burden of concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) + asthma, two highly prevalent and costly conditions.

Patients And Methods: The authors identified commercial enrollees from a large health plan database who were aged > or =40 years with medical and pharmacy benefits and medical claims with diagnosis codes for COPD or asthma between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2004. We assigned patients to COPD or COPD + asthma cohorts, excluding all others.

Adherence and persistence with omalizumab and fluticasone/salmeterol within a managed care population.

Asthma control requires adherence with pharmacologic therapy. A medication's mode of delivery may affect adherence. The purpose of this study was to compare medication persistence and adherence between patients newly treated with either an inhaled or injected asthma medication.

Economic burden in direct costs of concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma in a Medicare Advantage population.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent disease whose sufferers consume a large amount of resources. Among community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries, 12% reported that they had COPD in 2002. For clinicians, differentiating COPD from asthma may be difficult, but among patients with COPD and asthma, approximately 20% have both conditions.

An evaluation of patient preference for an alternative insulin delivery system compared to standard vial and syringe.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) affects over 18.2 million Americans and diabetes-related medical costs exceed 132 billion dollars per year, totaling more than 12% of the United States healthcare budget. The Diabetes Control and Complications Clinical Trial demonstrated that intensive insulin therapy and the control of plasma glucose can significantly reduce the incidence of late diabetic complications and delay the progression of existing conditions in type 1 diabetes.