Real-world mepolizumab treatment in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis reduces disease burden in the United States.

Background: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare, chronic inflammatory disease characterized by asthma and small/medium vessel vasculitis. Mepolizumab is approved for use in EGPA disease management alongside oral corticosteroids (OCS), but evidence of its real-world impact is limited.

Objective: To compare real-world treatment patterns and health outcomes, particularly OCS use, EGPA-related hospitalizations/relapses, and asthma exacerbations pre- and post-mepolizumab initiation in US patients with EGPA.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with first versus subsequent use of cariprazine for bipolar I disorder.

Aims: To evaluate the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs of patients who initiated cariprazine as their first versus subsequent atypical antipsychotic (AA) following a bipolar I disorder (BP-I) diagnosis.

Methods: Adults with a BP-I diagnosis (first claim = index), commercial, Medicare Supplemental, or Medicaid insurance, and ≥1 outpatient cariprazine dispensing were identified from Merative MarketScan database. Cohorts included patients who initiated cariprazine as either their first or subsequent AA after initial BP-I diagnosis.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV-1: An Assessment of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Usage Patterns, First Evidence of HIV-1, and HIV-1 Risk Factors in the United States.

In clinical trials, once-daily oral tenofovir-based pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) significantly reduced HIV-1 acquisition risk; however, this was highly dependent on medication adherence and persistence. We report clinical characteristics, PrEP usage patterns, first evidence of HIV-1, and associated risk factors among adults with commercial insurance using oral PrEP in the United States using health plan claims from the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus database between January 1, 2015, and March 31, 2020, from individuals who newly initiated emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) or FTC/tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) for daily PrEP. Overall, 25,419 individuals were included (FTC/TDF, = 24,232; FTC/TAF, = 1187), with generally similar characteristics reported during the 6-month baseline period across cohorts.

Evaluating the real-world effectiveness of belimumab in patients with SLE using SLE-related laboratory values and rheumatoid arthritis-derived disease activity measures: RAPID3, swollen joint count and tender joint count.

Objective: To investigate the real-world impact of intravenous belimumab treatment among patients with SLE using rheumatoid arthritis-derived disease activity measures and SLE-related laboratory values.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used US electronic medical record data from the United Rheumatology Normalised Integrated Community Evidence (UR-NICE) database. Adult patients with SLE who initiated intravenous belimumab between 1 January 2012 and 3 December 2019 (index), had 12 months of pre-index and 24 months of post-index clinical activity, and had ≥6 infusions of belimumab during the 24 months post-index were included.

Real-world association between systemic corticosteroid exposure and complications in US patients with severe asthma.

Background: Systemic corticosteroid (SCS) use remains widespread among patients with severe asthma, despite associated complications.

Objective: Evaluate the association between cumulative SCS exposure and SCS-related complications in severe asthma.

Methods: This retrospective, longitudinal study used claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart database (GSK ID: 214469).

Impact of formulary-related pharmacy claim rejections of cariprazine on health care utilization and treatment patterns among patients with bipolar I disorder.

Background: Formulary restrictions, intended to limit inappropriate medication use and decrease pharmacy costs, may prevent or delay patients with bipolar I disorder from initiating cariprazine, a dopamine D-preferring D/D and serotonin 5HT receptor partial agonist that is approved to treat manic/mixed or depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. Little is known about the downstream consequences of formulary-related cariprazine prescription rejections.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of formulary-related cariprazine claim rejections on health care resource utilization (HCRU) and treatment patterns among patients newly prescribed cariprazine for bipolar I disorder.

Impact of adherence to treatment with inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting β-agonists on asthma outcomes in the United States.

Background: Suboptimal adherence to maintenance medication has been associated with poor outcomes in asthma. This study examined single-inhaler inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting β2 agonist (LABA) adherence and asthma-related outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective observational study of patients with asthma initiating ICS/LABA used data from IQVIA PharMetrics Plus (1 January 2014-31 March 2019).

The real-world health resource use and costs of misdiagnosing bipolar I disorder.

Background: Misdiagnosis of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) as major depressive disorder (MDD) is common. This study evaluated healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs among BP-I patients who were initially misdiagnosed with MDD (misdiagnosed BP-I cohort) versus patients diagnosed with BP-I without a known prior MDD diagnosis (BP-I only cohort).

Methods: Data from IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases were used.

Adherence and Persistence to Single-Inhaler Versus Multiple-Inhaler Triple Therapy for Asthma Management.

Background: Treatment guidelines recommend triple therapy for patients with asthma who remain uncontrolled on inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β-agonist therapy. Previously, triple therapy was only available via multiple inhalers. Single-inhaler fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) is approved as maintenance treatment for asthma; however, real-world information on adherence and persistence is limited.

Adherence and persistence to once-daily single-inhaler versus multiple-inhaler triple therapy among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the USA: A real-world study.

Background: Triple therapy comprising an inhaled corticosteroid, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, and long-acting β agonist (ICS/LAMA/LABA) is recommended for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients at risk of exacerbation. Multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) is associated with poor adherence and persistence; however, these outcomes have not been evaluated for single-inhaler fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI).

Methods: This retrospective analysis of the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus claims database identified patients with COPD initiating triple therapy between 18 September 2017 and 30 June 2019.

Benefit of Prompt versus Delayed Use of Single-Inhaler Fluticasone Furoate/Umeclidinium/Vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) Following a COPD Exacerbation.

Purpose: Triple therapy (TT; inhaled corticosteroid, long-acting muscarinic antagonist, and long-acting β-agonist) is recommended for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at risk of exacerbation, although the optimum timing of TT initiation remains unclear. This study evaluated the impact of prompt versus delayed initiation of single-inhaler TT (fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol [FF/UMEC/VI]) following a COPD exacerbation.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database.

Healthcare costs of patients with cancer stratified by Khorana score risk levels.

Aims: Patients with cancer are at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which entails a high economic burden. The risk of cancer-associated VTE can be assessed using the Khorana score (KS), a validated VTE risk prediction algorithm. This study compared healthcare costs associated with different KS in a population of patients newly diagnosed with cancer.

Umeclidinium/Vilanterol Compared with Fluticasone Propionate/Salmeterol, Budesonide/Formoterol, and Tiotropium as Initial Maintenance Therapy in Patients with COPD Who Have High Costs and Comorbidities.

Background: Comorbidities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased medical costs and risk of exacerbations. This study compared COPD-related medical costs and exacerbations in high-cost, high-comorbidity patients with COPD receiving initial maintenance treatment (IMT) with umeclidinium/vilanterol (UMEC/VI) versus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/SAL), budesonide/formoterol (B/F), or tiotropium (TIO).

Methods: This retrospective, matched cohort study identified patients from Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart database who initiated UMEC/VI, FP/SAL, B/F, or TIO between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018 (index date defined as date of the first fill).

Hospital Admission and Readmission Among US Patients Receiving Umeclidinium/Vilanterol or Tiotropium as Initial Maintenance Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Introduction: Patients hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are at risk of further readmissions, increased treatment costs, and excess mortality. This study evaluated inpatient admissions and readmissions in patients receiving initial maintenance therapy with umeclidinium/vilanterol (UMEC/VI) versus tiotropium (TIO).

Methods: This retrospective, matched cohort study identified patients with COPD who initiated maintenance therapy with UMEC/VI or TIO from Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart database between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018 (index date defined as earliest dispensing).

Real-World Healthcare Resource Utilization in Patients with Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Treated with Pembrolizumab and Nivolumab in the USA.

Background: Patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease who relapse after or are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation have a poor prognosis. Recently, the anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA; May 2016 and March 2017, respectively) as treatment options for R/R cHL patients.

Objective: In the absence of comparative clinical trials between these agents, this observational study was conducted to evaluate the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) of patients with cHL initiated on pembrolizumab compared to nivolumab in the USA.

Cancer associated thrombosis and mortality in patients with cancer stratified by khorana score risk levels.

Background: The Khorana score (KS) clinical algorithm is used to predict VTE risk in cancer patients. The study objective was to evaluate VTE and survival rates among patients newly diagnosed with cancer and stratified by KS in a real-world population.

Methods: Data from the Optum Clinformatics DataMart database between 01/01/2012-09/30/2017 was used to identify adults with ≥ 1 hospitalization or ≥ 2 outpatient claims with a cancer diagnosis (index date).

Healthcare costs of NVAF patients treated with rivaroxaban and apixaban in the US.

Objectives: To provide the most current assessment of real-world healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who newly initiated rivaroxaban and apixaban using a large US database.

Material And Methods: A retrospective weighted cohort design was used with healthcare insurance claims from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart databases (January 2012-December 2018). The index date was defined as the first dispensing of rivaroxaban or apixaban.

Ibuprofen rescues mutant cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator trafficking.

Background: Small molecules as shown by VX809 can rescue the mislocalization of F508del-CFTR. The aim of this study was to identify correctors with a clinical history and their targets of action.

Methods: CFTR correctors were screened using two F508del-CFTR expressing cell based HTS assays.