Contemporary treatment patterns of overweight and obesity: insights from the Mass General Brigham health care system.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of obesity, obesity-related conditions (ORCs), and antiobesity medication (AOM) eligibility and prescribing practice among eligible patients in a large health care system.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of the multicenter Mass General Brigham health care system (Boston, Massachusetts) spanning 2018 to 2022, adults eligible for AOMs (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m or BMI 27-29.9 kg/m with ≥1 ORC) were identified.

Economic outcomes of antiobesity medication use among adults in the United States: A retrospective cohort study.

Obesity prevalence exceeds 40% in the US adult population, posing a substantial burden on the health care system. Antiobesity medication (AOM) is recommended for obesity management. However, little evidence exists estimating the economic impact of AOMs on health care costs over time.

Association between multiple sclerosis disease severity and adherence to disease-modifying therapies.

For multiple sclerosis (MS) patients taking disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), adherence to treatment is a key component of achieving beneficial outcomes, such as delayed disease progression and the reduction and prevention of symptoms and relapses. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a claims-based measure of MS disease severity on DMT adherence in a one-year study period. Patients were identified from Humana Medicare Advantage claims data from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015.

Use of a claims-based algorithm to estimate disease severity in the multiple sclerosis Medicare population.

Background/objective: To compare algorithm determined disease severity, risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse, and MS-related hospitalization between the age-eligible and disability-eligible MS Medicare populations.

Methods: Using the Humana claims dataset (2013 - 2015), patients were divided into Medicare age-eligible and disability-eligible groups. A previously developed algorithm, which used MS symptoms and healthcare utilization to categorize MS disease severity into three groups (low, moderate, high) at baseline was employed.

Replication of a Claims-based Algorithm to Estimate Multiple Sclerosis Disease Severity in a Commercially Insured Population.

Background/objective: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have significantly lower health-related quality of life, increased mortality and morbidity, and increased healthcare costs. The lack of a claims-based algorithm to correctly identify disease severity makes targeted selection of the MS patients for specific interventions an important limitation in real-world MS research.

Methods: Using the Optum claims dataset (2016 -2018), 11,429 persons with MS and >= 24 months of eligibility were identified.

National trends in hospitalization and mortality rates for patients with HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV coinfection from 1996-2010 in the United States: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The comparative impact of chronic viral monoinfection versus coinfection on inpatient outcomes and health care utilization is relatively unknown. This study examined trends, inpatient utilization, and hospital outcomes for patients with HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV coinfection.

Methods: Data were from the 1996-2010 National Hospital Discharge Surveys.

Differences in outpatient care and treatment utilization for patients with HIV/HCV coinfection, HIV, and HCV monoinfection, a cross-sectional study.

Background: Few studies have explored how utilization of outpatient services differ for HIV/HCV coinfected patients compared to HIV or HCV monoinfected patients. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare annual outpatient clinic visit rates between coinfected and monoinfected patients, (2) to compare utilization of HIV and HCV therapies between coinfected and monoinfected patients, and (3) to identify factors associated with therapy utilization.

Methods: Data were from the 2005-2010 U.

Barriers to hepatitis C antiviral therapy in HIV/HCV co-infected patients in the United States: a review.

This review synthesized the literature for barriers to HCV antiviral treatment in persons with HIV/HCV co-infection. Searches of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were conducted to identify relevant articles. Articles were excluded based on the following criteria: study conducted outside of the United States, not original research, pediatric study population, experimental study design, non-HIV or non-HCV study population, and article published in a language other than English.

United States adults meeting 2010 American College of Rheumatology criteria for treatment and prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Objective: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) updated its guidelines on the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) in 2010. An unknown proportion of US adults at risk of fracture due to glucocorticoid use would be recommended antiosteoporosis pharmaceutical (AOP) therapies based on the ACR guidelines.

Methods: Using the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for postmenopausal women (PMW), and men age ≥50 years reporting current glucocorticoid use, we categorized individuals according to ACR criteria for low, medium, and high fracture risk (<10%, ≥10%, and ≥20%, respectively) and provided percentages of treatment recommendations for chronic (≥90 days) medium and all high-risk patients.