Management of severe immune-related adverse events and outcomes in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with severe immune-related adverse events (s-irAEs) that result in hospitalization, emergency department (ED) visits, treatment discontinuation, or death. This study examined the impact of s-irAEs and their earliest management strategies on clinical outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Data were derived from ConcertAI Patient360 NSCLC, a US-based electronic medical record database, between January 2012 and May 2021.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Perceived Health Status Among Patients With Cardiovascular Disease.

Introduction: Understanding health outcomes among people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is crucial for improving treatment strategies and patient quality of life. This study investigated racial and ethnic disparities in perceived health status among non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White adults with CVD.

Methods: The study had a retrospective cross-sectional design and used data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey spanning 8 calendar years (2014-2021).

Disparities and Medical Expenditure Implications in Pediatric Tele-Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mississippi.

Tele-mental health (TMH) services, including both mental and behavioral healthcare (MBH) services, emerged as a cornerstone in delivering pediatric mental healthcare during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, yet their utilization and effects on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and medical expenditures remain unclear. To bridge the gap, this study aims to investigate the association between TMH utilization and sociodemographic factors and assess its associated HCRU and medical expenditures within a pediatric population in Mississippi. Studying 1,972 insured pediatric patients who accessed outpatient MBH services at the study institution between January 2020 and June 2023, age, race, insurance type, rural residency, and household income were identified as key determinants of TMH utilization.

Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Healthcare Expenditure and Resource Utilization Among Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases.

Background: Despite extensive research, significant gaps remain in understanding racial disparity among individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). These disparities, influenced by factors such as access to care and comorbid conditions, necessitate further investigation to develop targeted interventions.

Aim: To evaluate the factors contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare resource utilization and total healthcare expenditure among individuals with CVD.

Tele-Mental Health Service: Unveiling the Disparity and Impact on Healthcare Access and Expenditures during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mississippi.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, tele-mental health (TMH) was a viable approach for providing accessible mental and behavioral health (MBH) services. This study examines the sociodemographic disparities in TMH utilization and its effects on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and medical expenditures in Mississippi. Utilizing a cohort of 6787 insured adult patients at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its affiliated sites between January 2020 and June 2023, including 3065 who accessed TMH services, we observed sociodemographic disparities between TMH and non-TMH cohorts.

Assessing Telemental Health Uptake and Associated Health Care Resource Implications among Mississippi Medicaid Enrollees with Major Depression.

Investigate the association between Telemental Health (TMH) uptake and sociodemographic characteristics, and how TMH uptake relates to health care resource utilization and Medicaid expenditures among Mississippi Medicaid enrollees with major depression. A retrospective cohort study was conducted (2019-2020), comparing those who utilized TMH and those who did not. Among the 21,239 identified enrollees, 806 (3.

Telehealth Evaluation in the United States: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Background: The rapid expansion of telehealth services, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitates systematic evaluation to guarantee the quality, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of telehealth services and programs in the United States. While numerous evaluation frameworks have emerged, crafted by various stakeholders, their comprehensiveness is limited, and the overall state of telehealth evaluation remains unclear.

Objective: The overarching goal of this scoping review is to create a comprehensive overview of telehealth evaluation, incorporating perspectives from multiple stakeholder categories.

Telemental Health Services Usage and Association with Health Care Utilization and Expenditures Among Vulnerable Medicare Beneficiaries in 2019: A Comparative Study Using Propensity Score Matching.

Telemental health (TMH) offers a promising approach to managing major depressive disorder (MDD). The objective of our work was to evaluate TMH usage among a vulnerable population of MDD Medicare beneficiaries and its association with health care utilization and expenditures. This cohort study analyzed 2019 Mississippi Medicare fee-for-service data for adult beneficiaries with MDD.

Real-world outcomes among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated first line with a bevacizumab biosimilar (bevacizumab-awwb).

Background: Bevacizumab-awwb (MVASI) was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved biosimilar to Avastin (reference product [RP]) for the treatment of several different types of cancers, including metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), an indication approved based on extrapolation.

Patient profiles, treatment patterns, and outcomes among persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer patients under routine care in the United States.

Objective: Patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer have poor prognosis. While recent advances have expanded treatment options, real-world data on treatment patterns and outcomes in this population are lacking.

Methods: This retrospective study identified adult females with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer from the ConcertAI Oncology Dataset who received systemic therapy on or after August 15, 2014.

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs of Steroid-Associated Complications in Patients With Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD/cGVHD) are serious conditions occurring after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Steroids are the most common first-line therapy; however, they are frequently associated with numerous morbid complications. To describe the healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs of steroid-related complications in patients receiving systemic steroids for GVHD.

Palliative Care Consultation in the Intensive Care Unit Reduces Hospital Costs: A Cost-Analysis.

Background: Palliative care aims to improve or maintain quality of life for patients with life-limiting or life-threatening diseases. Limited research shows that palliative care is associated with reduced intensive care unit length of stay and use of high-cost resources.

Methods: This was an observational, non-experimental comparison group study on all patients 18 years or older admitted to any intensive care unit (ICU) at Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center for 7 to 30 days from August 2013 to December 2015.

Effect of inadequate care on diabetes complications and healthcare resource utilization during management of type 2 diabetes in the United States.

Objective: To estimate the effects of inadequate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) care on health outcomes, utilizing a model that incorporates patient, physician, and health-system factors.

Methods: The most recently available (years 2016-2018) Medical Expenditure panel survey longitudinal data was used to identify adults with type 2 diabetes who had received inadequate diabetes care. American Diabetes Association Standards of Diabetes guidelines were used to define inadequate care, resulting in five categories: lifestyle management, immunization, pharmacologic therapy, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation.

Eltrombopag treatment of patients with secondary immune thrombocytopenia: retrospective EHR analysis.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may occur in isolation (primary) or in association with a predisposing condition (secondary ITP [sITP]). Eltrombopag is a well-studied treatment for primary ITP, but evidence is scarce for sITP. We evaluated real-world use of eltrombopag for sITP using electronic health records.

Healthcare costs related to adverse events in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: A retrospective observational claims study.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive form of liver cancer with increasing incidence and mortality worldwide. For metastatic disease, systemic treatment is recommended. In addition to tumor characteristics, adverse events (AEs) may influence regimen choice.

The Impact of Adverse Events on Health Care Resource Utilization, Costs, and Mortality Among Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background: We investigated the association between adverse events (AEs) suspected to be immune-related and health care resource utilization, costs, and mortality among patients receiving programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy for urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, or Merkel cell carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using medical and pharmacy claims and enrollment information from U.S.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with steroid-resistant chronic graft-versus-host disease in the United States: a retrospective claims database analysis.

Background: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is the most serious non-relapse complication affecting long-term allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) survivors. We describe healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs in patients with steroid-resistant (SR) cGVHD versus no GVHD up to 360 and 720 days post-HCT.

Methods: Claims from the Optum Research Database were used to identify patients aged ≥12 years who underwent allogeneic HCT (index date) in the United States from 01 January 2010 to 31 August 2016 with diagnosis of cGVHD (within the study period or unspecified GVHD beyond 120 days post-HCT [SR defined as additional therapy ≥7 days after initiation of systemic steroids]) or no GVHD at any time.

Second-line treatments and outcomes for immune thrombocytopenia: A retrospective study with electronic health records.

Background: Second-line treatment for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is not well reported for patients treated in real-world clinical settings.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of four second-line treatments for ITP.

Patients/methods: Included adult patients had at least two medical records containing ITP diagnoses and second-line eltrombopag, romiplostim, rituximab, or splenectomy.

The evaluation of comprehensive medication management for chronic diseases in primary care clinics, a Texas delivery system reform incentive payment program.

Background: The Institute of Medicine reported that more than 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur annually in the United States. Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) is the medication review process to improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient adherence, reduce drug therapy problems and reduce health care costs.

Treatment Sequences After Discontinuing a Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Comparison of Cycling Versus Swapping Strategies.

Objective: To evaluate the sequences of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and non-TNFi used by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients whose initial TNFi therapy has failed, and to evaluate effectiveness and costs.

Methods: Using the Truven Health MarketScan Research database, we analyzed claims of commercially insured adult patients with RA who switched to their second biologic or targeted disease-modifying antirheumatic drug between January 2008 and December 2015. Our primary outcome was the frequency of treatment sequences.

Treatment patterns and outcomes in pancreatic cancer: Retrospective claims analysis.

Background: Pancreatic cancer represents the third leading cause of US cancer deaths, with median survival <1 year. The goal of this study was to describe systemic treatments, healthcare utilization and costs, and overall survival among patients with unresectable/metastatic disease.

Methods: This study used healthcare claims for commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (at index date) during January 01 2010 to 31 May 2017.

Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Cycling Versus Swapping Medications in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis After Failure to Respond to Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors.

Objective: To systematically review the modeling approaches and quality of economic analyses comparing cycling tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) to swapping to a therapy with a different mode of action in patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose initial TNFi failed.

Methods: We searched electronic databases, gray literature, and references of included publications until July 2017. Two reviewers independently screened citations.

Incidence of febrile neutropenia during chemotherapy among patients with nonmyeloid cancer receiving filgrastim vs a filgrastim biosimilar.

Background: Filgrastim and other granulocyte colony-stimulating factors are recommended to decrease febrile neutropenia (FN) incidence among patients with nonmyeloid cancers undergoing chemotherapy. Data comparing biosimilar filgrastim-sndz with reference filgrastim (filgrastim-ref) are limited outside of clinical trials in the US.

Objective: To compare the incidence of FN across chemotherapy cycles 1-6 between patients treated with filgrastim-sndz vs filgrastim-ref.

Clinical Outcomes of Treatment with Filgrastim Versus a Filgrastim Biosimilar and Febrile Neutropenia-Associated Costs Among Patients with Nonmyeloid Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy.

Background: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim are used to decrease the incidence of febrile neutropenia (FN) among patients with nonmyeloid cancers undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Although the biosimilar filgrastim-sndz has been approved in the United States since 2015, limited real-world comparisons of filgrastim-sndz versus reference filgrastim (filgrastim-ref) have been conducted.

Objective: To compare FN incidence and assess overall FN-related health care resource utilization and medical costs among U.