Burden of influenza in patients with cardiovascular disease who receive antiviral treatment for influenza.

Aims: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases the risk of complications from respiratory viruses, including influenza. Moreover, respiratory viruses may increase the risk of CV events. Antiviral medication may reduce healthcare resource utilization (HRU), but more data is needed in CVD populations to explore relationships between influenza antiviral treatment, CVD-related complications, HRU, and costs.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective claims analysis examined data extracted from IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits databases during three influenza seasons: 2016-2017, 2017-2018, or 2018-2019. Propensity score matching was used to compare HRU outcomes and costs among CVD patients treated with influenza antivirals and untreated patients.

Results: Across all influenza seasons, patients with CVD and influenza who received antiviral treatment had fewer all-cause emergency department (ED) visits ( < .01), respiratory-related HRU ( < .01), respiratory-related outpatient and ED visits (both  < .01), CVD-related HRU ( < .01), heart failure-related HRU visits ( < .01), and kidney failure-related HRU ( < .01) 180 days post-treatment fill date than CVD patients untreated for influenza. CVD patients treated with antivirals also had a lower mean number of all-cause inpatient, outpatient, and ED visits and days of stay (all  < .01) and fewer mean respiratory-related outpatient and ED visits (both  < .01). HRU patterns were generally consistent over time and across individual influenza seasons. Finally, treated CVD patients incurred lower all-cause outpatient costs 180 days post-treatment fill date ( < .05) than CVD patients untreated for influenza.

Conclusion: CVD patients who contract influenza and take antiviral medication have fewer short- and long-term influenza-related complications and less overall HRU compared with CVD patients who were not prescribed antiviral treatments. Antiviral treatment may be an important tool in reducing complications in CVD patients with influenza.