Treatment patterns in patients with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema: A real-world claims analysis in Dubai.

Objectives: To characterize the pattern of approved anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatments among patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Method: This was a retrospective, nonrandomized, observational cohort analysis of the Dubai Real-world Claims Database with a 360-day follow-up period. Adult patients diagnosed with nAMD or DME treated with ranibizumab or aflibercept for the first time were included.

Health resource utilization and costs during the first 90 days following robot-assisted hysterectomy.

Introduction And Hypothesis: To compare health resource utilization, costs and readmission rates between robot-assisted and non-robot-assisted hysterectomy during the 90 days following surgery.

Methods: The study used 2008-2012 Truven Health MarketScan data. All patients admitted as inpatients with a CPT code for hysterectomy between January 2008 and September 2012 were identified and the first hysterectomy-related admission in each patient was included.

Comparing anticholinergic persistence and adherence profiles in overactive bladder patients based on gender, obesity, and major anticholinergic agents.

Aims: Overactive bladder (OAB) is highly prevalent particularly among obese patients and significantly impacts quality of life. Anticholinergics are the first-line treatment. The effect of obesity on medication compliance has not been studied.

Comparative analysis of overall cost and rate of healthcare utilization among apical prolapse procedures.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The annual cost of prolapse surgeries is expected to grow at twice the rate of population growth. Understanding the economic impact of apical prolapse procedures, including sacrospinous fixation (SSF), abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC), and laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), is crucial. We aimed to compare overall cost of SSF versus ASC and LSC, as well as health resource utilization, up to 90-day follow-up.

First-Line Fixed-Combination Psoriasis Treatment Is Associated With Lower Healthcare Costs.

Treatment of psoriasis is associated with significant healthcare-related costs. A retrospective, observational study was conducted to investigate whether first-line treatment with calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate (CBD) fixed-combination topical products would lower the cost impact of psoriasis compared with using the fixed-combination product later in the course of treatment. Patients were classified as being initially treated with CBD combination products (cohort A, n=7307) or other topical psoriasis medications (cohort B, n=9670).

Mesh complications and failure rates after transvaginal mesh repair compared with abdominal or laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and to native tissue repair in treating apical prolapse.

Objective: Our objective was to quantitate the extent of complications and failure rate for apical prolapse repair with transvaginal mesh (TVM) use versus sacrocolpopexy over a minimum of 2 years of follow-up.

Methods: Truven CCAE and Medicare Supplemental databases 2008-2013 were used for analysis. Patients with apical prolapse repair via transvaginal mesh (TVMR), abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASCP), laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP), or native tissue repair (NTR) and continuously enrolled for years were in the study cohort.

Using a single product (calcipotriene/betamethasone topical suspension) vs multiple products to manage body and scalp psoriasis: comparisons in resource utilization and costs.

Objectives: To compare resource utilization and costs among patients who used calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate topical suspension (Taclonex Scalp Topical Suspension, Leo Pharma A/S) vs those who used multiple body and scalp formulations for psoriasis.

Research Design And Methods: A retrospective study using Truven Health MarketScan Commercial Database from 2006-2011 was performed to identify patients with psoriasis (ICD code 696.1x).

Treatment pattern by hormone receptors and HER2 status in patients with metastatic breast cancer in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy (EU-5): results from a physician survey.

Background: The differences in country-specific treatment patterns across Europe for metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients have not been extensively studied. This study compared the treatment choices in aggregate, as well as by biomarker status, between various lines of therapy in clinical practice in the EU-5 countries among newly diagnosed mBC patients.

Materials & Methods: The IMS LifeLink™ Oncology Analyzer database, based on surveys of practicing oncologists, was used to identify mBC patients aged ≥21 years.

Evidence-based use of second-generation antipsychotics in a state Medicaid pediatric population, 2001-2005.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify children in a state Medicaid population who were newly treated with second-generation antipsychotics from 2001 through 2005, to classify each use of these agents as evidence based or not depending on the child's diagnoses, and to identify factors associated with the likelihood of evidence-based use of the medication.

Methods: A Medicaid claims database was used to retrospectively identify enrollees receiving initial outpatient treatment with a second-generation antipsychotic between 2001 and 2005. To capture all relevant treatments and diagnoses, claims were examined from January 2000 through December 2006.

Cost of hospital admission for antiarrhythmic drug initiation in atrial fibrillation.

Background: Initiation of some rhythm-control therapies for atrial fibrillation (AF) requires an inpatient hospital stay and telemetry monitoring, adding to the cost burden of AF. However, specific cost data for inpatient initiation of AF therapies are lacking.

Objective: To examine costs associated with initiating sotalol or dofetilide in the inpatient setting in the US.