Effectiveness of tegaserod therapy on GI-related resource utilization in a managed care population.

This study sought to determine the real-world effectiveness of tegaserod therapy on gastrointestinal (GI)-related resource utilization in a managed care population with a retrospective, longitudinal pre-/post-parallel cohort study of tegaserod users and a matched reference cohort of tegaserod nonusers through medical and pharmacy claims data from a large, geographically diverse, managed care organization. Continuously enrolled benefit-eligible patients newly initiated on tegaserod therapy (index prescription) were identified between August 1, 2002, and June 30, 2003, and were categorized (using International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes) as having irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or another GI-related disorder (e.g.