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Matesanz SE, Edelson JB, Iacobellis KA, Mejia E, Brandsema JF, Wittlieb-Weber CA, Okunowo O, Griffis H, Lin KY. Subspecialty Health Care Utilization in Pediatric Patients With Muscular Dystrophy in the United States. Neurol Clin Pract 2024; 14:e200312. [PMID: 38855715 PMCID: PMC11160481 DOI: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000200312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Standards of care exist to optimize outcomes in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DBMD), caused by alterations in the DMD gene; however, there are limited data regarding health care access in these patients. This study aims to characterize outpatient subspecialty care utilization in pediatric patients with DBMD. Methods This retrospective cohort study used administrative claims data from IBM MarketScan Medicaid and Commercial Claims and Encounters Research Databases (2013-2018). Male patients 1-18 years with an ICD-9/10 diagnosis code for hereditary progressive muscular dystrophy between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017, were included. Participants were stratified into 3 age cohorts: 1-6 years, 7-12 years, and 13-18 years. The primary outcome was rate of annual neurology visits. Secondary outcomes included annual follow-up rates in other subspecialties and proportion of days covered (PDC) by corticosteroids. Results A total of 1,386 patients met inclusion-347 (25.0%) age 1-6 years, 502 (36.2%) age 7-12 years, and 537 (38.7%) age 13-18 years. Heart failure, respiratory failure, and technology dependence increased with age (p for all<0.05). The rate of neurology visits per person-year was 0.36 and did not differ by age. Corticosteroid use was low; 30% of person-years (1452/4829) had a PDC ≥20%. Medicaid insurance was independently associated with a lower likelihood of annual neurology follow-up (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.18-0.28). Discussion The rate of annual neurology follow-up and corticosteroid use in patients with DBMD is low. Medicaid insurance status was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of neurology follow-up, while age was not, suggesting that factors other than disease severity influence neurology care access. Identifying barriers to regular follow-up is critical in improving outcomes for patients with DBMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Matesanz
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Jonathan B Edelson
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Katherine A Iacobellis
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Erika Mejia
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - John F Brandsema
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Carol A Wittlieb-Weber
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Oluwatimilehin Okunowo
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Heather Griffis
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Kimberly Y Lin
- Division of Neurology (SEM, JFB); Division of Cardiology (JBE, KAI, EM, CAW-W, KYL), Cardiac Center, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Leonard Davis Institute Center for Healthcare Economics (JBE); Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research Center (JBE), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Data Science and Biostatistics Unit (OO, HG), Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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Laurido-Soto OJ, Faust IM, Nielsen SS, Racette BA. Adherence to practice parameters in Medicare beneficiaries with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304083. [PMID: 38829866 PMCID: PMC11146737 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Physician adherence to evidence-based clinical practice parameters impacts outcomes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. We sought to investigate compliance with the 2009 practice parameters for treatment of ALS patients in the United States, and sociodemographic and provider characteristics associated with adherence. METHODS In this population-based, retrospective cohort study of incident ALS patients in 2009-2014, we included all Medicare beneficiaries age ≥20 with ≥1 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ALS code (335.20) in 2009 and no prior years (N = 8,575). Variables of interest included race/ethnicity, sex, age, urban residence, Area Deprivation Index (ADI), and provider specialty (neurologist vs. non-neurologist). Outcomes were use of practice parameters, which included feeding tubes, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), riluzole, and receiving care from a neurologist. RESULTS Overall, 42.9% of patients with ALS received neurologist care. Black beneficiaries (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.67), older beneficiaries (OR 0.964, 95% CI 0.961-0.968 per year), and those living in disadvantaged areas (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61-0.80) received less care from neurologists. Overall, only 26.7% of beneficiaries received a feeding tube, 19.2% NIV, and 15.3% riluzole. Neurologist-treated patients were more likely to receive interventions than other ALS patients: feeding tube (OR 2.80, 95% CI 2.52-3.11); NIV (OR 10.8, 95% CI 9.28-12.6); and riluzole (OR 7.67, 95% CI 6.13-9.58), after adjusting for sociodemographics. These associations remained marked and significant when we excluded ALS patients who subsequently received a code for other diseases that mimic ALS. CONCLUSIONS ALS patients treated by neurologists received care consistent with practice parameters more often than those not treated by a neurologist. Black, older, and disadvantaged beneficiaries received less care consistent with the practice parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo J. Laurido-Soto
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Irene M. Faust
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Susan Searles Nielsen
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Brad A. Racette
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Mamarabadi M, Fafoutis E, Geronimo A, Walsh S, Simmons Z. Sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol access, adherence and adverse event in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Experience at one center in the United States. Muscle Nerve 2024. [PMID: 38828849 DOI: 10.1002/mus.28175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol (PB-TURSO) was recently approved for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Third-party payors' coverage policies are evolving, and adverse events are just being fully assessed. The goals of this study were to evaluate patients' experiences in obtaining and continuing PB-TURSO and assess adverse events and medication adherence. METHODS Medical records of 109 ALS patients who were considered PB-TURSO candidates by the treating physician at a tertiary ALS clinic from October 2022 to May 2023 were reviewed. Data was recorded for demographics, clinical, and insurance information. A survey was e-mailed to patients asking about out-of-pocket expenses for PB-TURSO, financial assistance, medication start and (if applicable) stop dates, and reasons for discontinuation. RESULTS Insurance information was available for 91 patients [57 males (62%); mean age 64.8 years (range 25.7-88)]. Of 79 who applied for insurance approval, 71 (90%) were approved; however, 19 required 1-3 appeals. Among 73 patients with available data about medication status, 54 started PB-TURSO and 19 did not, most commonly due to personal choice or out-of-pocket expenses. About 44% of patients (24/54) stopped taking PB-TURSO, primarily due to adverse events. Monthly out-of-pocket expenses varied from $0 to $3500 and 36 patients qualified for financial assistance. Administrative and nursing staff devoted 7.2 hours/week to the insurance authorization process. DISCUSSION Most patients received insurance approval for PB-TURSO, but one-fourth required appeals. Some out-of-pocket costs were very high. Investment of staff time was substantial. These findings have implications for insurance coverage of, and adherence to, future ALS treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Mamarabadi
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eleni Fafoutis
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Geronimo
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Susan Walsh
- ALS United Mid-Atlantic, Ambler, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zachary Simmons
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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Giometto S, Finocchietti M, Paoletti O, Lombardi N, Celani MG, Sciancalepore F, Lucenteforte E, Kirchmayer U. Adherence to riluzole therapy in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in three Italian regions-The CAESAR study. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2024; 33:e5736. [PMID: 38014926 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease. Riluzole may increase survival and delay the need for mechanical ventilation. The CAESAR project ('Comparative evaluation of the efficacy and safety of drugs used in rare neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases', FV AIFA project 2012-2013-2014) involves evaluating prescribing patterns, and analysing effectiveness and comparative safety of drugs, in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate adherence to riluzole in patients with ALS during the first year of use, identifying adherence clusters. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative data from Latium, Tuscany, and Umbria. We identified subjects with a new diagnosis of ALS between 2014 and 2019, with the first dispensation of riluzole within 180 days of diagnosis. We considered a two-year look-back period for the characterization of patients, and we followed them from the date of first dispensing of riluzole for 1 year. We calculated 12 monthly adherence measures, through a modified version of the Medication Possession Ratio, estimating drug coverage with Defined Daily Dose. Adherence trajectories were identified using a three-step method: (1) calculation of statistical measures; (2) principal component analysis; (3) cluster analysis. Patient characteristics at baseline and during follow-up were described and compared between adherence groups identified. RESULTS We included 264 ALS patients as new users of riluzole in Latium, 344 in Tuscany, and 63 in Umbria. We observed a higher frequency of males (56.2%) and a mean age of 67.4 (standard deviation, SD, 10.4) in the overall population. We identified two clusters in all regions: one more numerous, including adherent patients (60%, 74%, 88%, respectively), and another one including patients who discontinued therapy (40%, 26%, 12%, respectively). In Tuscany patients discontinuing riluzole more frequently died (28.6% vs. 15.4%, p-value <0.01). Additionally, low-adherers had a higher frequency of central nervous system disorders (69.0% vs. 52.5%, p-value 0.01), and a greater use of non-pharmacological treatments (p-values ≤0.01 for invasive ventilation and tracheostomy). We did not observe any differences in Lazio, whereas in Umbria we observed a higher use of drugs for dementia-related psychiatric problems among low-adherers (57.1% vs. 7.8%, respectively, p-value <0.01), although with small numbers. CONCLUSION Most ALS patients who start riluzole adhere to therapy during the first year. Patients who discontinue therapy early show greater fragility and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Giometto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Niccolò Lombardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Sciancalepore
- National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Ersilia Lucenteforte
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Thakore NJ, Lapin BR, Mitsumoto H, Pooled Resource Open‐Access ALS Clinical Trials Consortium. Early initiation of riluzole may improve absolute survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2022; 66:702-708. [PMID: 36117390 PMCID: PMC9828202 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Riluzole improves survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but optimal time and duration of treatment are unknown. The aim of this study was to examine if timing of riluzole initiation and duration of treatment modified its effect on survival. METHODS Patients from the PRO-ACT dataset with information on ALS Functional Rating Scale, time from onset to enrollment (TFOE), and riluzole use were selected for analysis. Survival from enrollment was the outcome. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were examined for interactions between riluzole and TFOE. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to assess average treatment effect. RESULTS Of 4778 patients, 3446 (72.1%) had received riluzole. In unadjusted analyses, riluzole improved median survival significantly (22.6 vs. 20.2 months, log-rank p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, no significant interaction between TFOE and riluzole was found. Riluzole effect was uniform during follow-up. By IPTW, estimated riluzole hazard ratio was 0.798 (95% confidence interval 0.686-0.927). Delaying riluzole initiation by 1 y (6 to 18 months from onset) may translate to reducing median survival from onset by 1.9 months (40.1 to 38.2 months). DISCUSSION Riluzole appears to reduce risk of death uniformly, regardless of time from onset to treatment, and duration of treatment. Earlier treatment with riluzole may be associated with greater absolute survival gain from onset. Early diagnosis of ALS will facilitate early treatment and is expected to improve survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimish J. Thakore
- Neuromuscular Center, Department of NeurologyCleveland ClinicClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Brittany R. Lapin
- Neurological Institute Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (NICORE) and Lerner Research Institute Department of Quantitative Health SciencesCleveland ClinicClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuromuscular MedicineColumbia University Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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