Healthcare costs for Crohn's disease patients treated with infliximab: a propensity weighted comparison of the effects of treatment adherence.

Objective: The objective for the research was to evaluate the direct healthcare costs for Crohn's disease (CD) patients categorized by adherence status.

Methods: Adult patients with ≥1 claim for infliximab and ≥2 claims for CD who were continuously insured for 12 months before and after their first infliximab infusion (index date) were identified in a 2006-2009 US managed care database. Patients were excluded if they had rheumatoid arthritis claims, received infliximab billed as a pharmacy benefit, or received another biologic drug.

Complexity of pain management among patients with nociceptive or neuropathic neck, back, or osteoarthritis diagnoses.

Background: Approaches to pain management are diverse, requiring prescribers to evaluate an array of clinical issues and potential solutions. In addition to the difficult task of selecting a treatment option, pain treatment may be further complicated by multiple prescribers, multiple medications, and multiple mechanisms of pain origination.

Objective: To describe patient demographics (e.

Inflammatory bowel disease: healthcare costs for patients who are adherent or non-adherent with infliximab therapy.

Objective: Healthcare costs of inflammatory bowel disease are substantial. This study examined the effect of adherence versus non-adherence on healthcare costs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: Adults who started infliximab treatment between 2006 and 2009 and had a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease were identified from MarketScan Databases.

Opioids before and after initiation of pregabalin in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Objectives: To examine opioid prescription claims before and after initiation of pregabalin in patients with a diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Methods: This retrospective analysis used a national commercial database of integrated inpatient, outpatient, and prescription claims to identify adults with a DPN diagnosis code within 360 days prior to the first claim for pregabalin between January 1, 2006 and March 31, 2008. Prescription claims for pregabalin or opioids were analyzed in nine consecutive 60-day periods from 180 days before through 360 days after the first pregabalin claim.

Development and validation of a patient satisfaction and preference questionnaire for inhalation devices.

Introduction: The Patient Satisfaction and Preference Questionnaire (PASAPQ) is a multi-item measure of respiratory inhalation device satisfaction and preference designed to be easily understood and administered to patients with asthma and COPD. This study assessed its validity, reliability and responsiveness and explored the between-group difference in PASAPQ scores that is meaningful.

Methods: The field test version was developed using literature, focus groups and expert opinion.