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Hung CT, Liu DC, Chou KT, Kao YH. Trends in polypharmacy among U.S. adults with asthma, 2001-2020. J Asthma 2024:1-18. [PMID: 39120956 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2024.2391446] [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: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate trends in polypharmacy prevalence among adults with asthma in the United States. METHODS Data from the 2001-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to estimate the weighted prevalence of polypharmacy. Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to evaluate trends in polypharmacy. Trends were first evaluated overall and then stratified by asthma severity and asthma control. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with polypharmacy. RESULTS From 2001 to 2020, a stable trend in polypharmacy among U.S. adults with asthma was observed (average annual percent change [AAPC] = 1.02, P = 0.71). Trends across different asthma severity were stable (mild asthma: AAPC = 2.93, P = 0.20; moderate asthma: AAPC= -2.22, P = 0.35; severe asthma: AAPC = 0.45, P = 0.82). Trends in adults with good asthma control and those with poor control stayed constant (good control: AAPC = 0.82, P = 0.68; poor control: AAPC= -1.22, P = 0.82). Several factors, including older age, females, Non-Hispanic Black, health insurance coverage, family income, number of healthcare visits, former smokers, multi-morbidities, asthma severity, and asthma control, were associated with polypharmacy. CONCLUSIONS Polypharmacy prevalence has remained constant among U.S. adults with asthma over the past two decades. Despite a stable overall trend, disparities in polypharmacy prevalence persist across different asthma severities and control statuses, underscoring the need for tailored medication management to improve asthma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Tse Hung
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ding-Cheng Liu
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Department of Regulatory and Quality Sciences, University of Southern California, United States
| | - Kuan-Ting Chou
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsiu Kao
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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2
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Kim JH, Lee H, Park SY, Kim JY, Choi SH, Kwon HS, Song WJ, Kim SH, Yu J, Song DJ, Cho YS, Lim DH, Cho YJ, Chang SI, Kim TB. Epidemiology of patients with asthma in Korea: Analysis of the NHISS database 2006-2015. World Allergy Organ J 2023; 16:100768. [PMID: 37128250 PMCID: PMC10148228 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There has been a concerning increase in the prevalence and socioeconomic burden of asthma in Korea. Korea's National Health Insurance System (NHIS) covers insurance payment and claims management for all Koreans. Using National Health Insurance Sharing Service (NHISS) claims data. This study aimed to investigate patterns of healthcare utilization and direct cost in patients with asthma over a 10-year period. Methods In this retrospective population-based study, we examined NHISS claims records between July 2005 and June 2016 and investigated healthcare utilization among patients with asthma based on age group and severity of disease (non-severe asthma [NSA] and severe asthma [SA]). Results From 2006 to 2015, the total number of patients with asthma in Korea steadily increased from 743 968 to 2 286 309, with a corresponding increase in prevalence from 1.62% to 4.74%. The proportion of patients with SA decreased from 3.16% in 2006 to 1.56% in 2015; the proportion was consistently higher in men than in women. In addition, patients with SA had a higher cost per outpatient visit than patients with NSA, and the number of outpatient visits per year increased. The inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) prescription rate among patients with asthma decreased from 22.9% in 2006 to 15.7% in 2015. Furthermore, for a period of 10 years, more than 40% of patients with SA have been prescribed short-acting β-2 agonists (SABAs). Conclusions Although patients with SA comprised a small proportion of patients with asthma, they incurred greater medical costs per person. The pharmaceutical prescription pattern indicated a lack of ICS-based prescriptions and frequent SABA prescriptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyun Kim
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korean Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Hyesung Lee
- Department of Biohealth Regulatory Science School of Pharmacy, SungKyunKwan University, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - So-Young Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Medical Center, Gwangmyeong, South Korea
| | - Ju-Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, South Korea
| | - Sun Hee Choi
- Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyouk-Soo Kwon
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woo-Jung Song
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Jinho Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dae Jin Song
- Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine and Environmental Health Center for Childhood Asthma, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - You Sook Cho
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dae Hyun Lim
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Young-Joo Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Women University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suk-Il Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sung-Ae Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Tae-Bum Kim
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Corresponding author. Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, South Korea.
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3
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Alefan Q, Nawasrah A, Almomani B, Al-Issa ET. Direct Medical Cost of Pediatric Asthma in Jordan: A Cost-of-Illness Retrospective Cohort Study. Value Health Reg Issues 2022; 31:10-17. [PMID: 35313157 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2022.01.003] [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: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to estimate and analyze the direct medical costs of pediatric patients with asthma in Jordan from the provider's perspective. METHODS A retrospective analysis of a cohort of pediatric patients with asthma treated during 3 years in a teaching hospital was conducted. The prevalence-based, bottom-up approach has been used to estimate the cost-of-illness of asthma. The total annual direct medical cost was stratified by control status and the severity of asthma. RESULTS The total annual cost for whole the sample (N = 613) in the average of 3 years was Jordanian dinar (JD) 110 874 (US$ 156 382). Pediatrics with uncontrolled asthma had significantly higher annual total direct medical costs than partly controlled and controlled asthma (JD 396 [US$ 558], JD 258 [US$ 364], and JD 150 [US$ 211], respectively) (P < .001). The annual total direct medical cost for severe asthma (JD 455 [US$ 641]) was significantly higher than moderate, mild, and intermittent (JD 176 [US$ 248], JD 35 [US$ 49], and JD 7 [US$ 9.8], respectively) (P < .001). Medications were the most expensive healthcare resource used, accounting for 79.8% of the total cost, followed by outpatient clinic visits and hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare sources utilization and direct medical costs of asthma were highly related to disease severity and control status of the disease. Health policies targeting the achievement of better and stricter asthma control will play a crucial role in the reduction of the economic burden of asthma for society and the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qais Alefan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
| | - Areen Nawasrah
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Basimah Almomani
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Eman T Al-Issa
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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4
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Kim SH, Lee H, Park SY, Park SY, Song WJ, Kim JH, Park HW, Cho YS, Yoon HJ. The Korean Severe Asthma Registry (KoSAR): real world research in severe asthma. Korean J Intern Med 2022; 37:249-260. [PMID: 35184515 PMCID: PMC8925953 DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2021.403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe asthma constitutes a serious health burden with significant morbidity and socioeconomic costs. The development and introduction of new biologics targeting type 2 inflammation changed the paradigm for management of severe asthma and initiated a biological era. These changes impose a challenge to clinicians in managing difficult-to-treat and severe asthma. To understand the characteristics and heterogeneity of severe asthma and to develop a better strategy to manage it, the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Working Group on Severe Asthma, has organized the Korean Severe Asthma Registry (KoSAR). In this review, we describe the challenges of severe asthma management regarding diagnosis, disease burden, heterogeneity, guidelines, and organization of severe asthma clinics. This review also examines the current global activities of national and regional registries and study groups. In addition, we present the KoSAR vision and organization and describe the findings of KoSAR in comparison with those of other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Heon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - So-Young Park
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - So Young Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - Woo-Jung Song
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - Joo-Hee Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang,
Korea
| | - Heung-Woo Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - You Sook Cho
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
| | - Ho Joo Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul,
Korea
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5
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Lee SC, Son KJ, Park HJ, Jung JY, Park SC, Jeong SH, Park JW. Long-Term Prognosis of Asthma-Bronchiectasis Overlapped Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2021; 13:908-921. [PMID: 34734508 PMCID: PMC8569023 DOI: 10.4168/aair.2021.13.6.908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Asthma and bronchiectasis are common chronic respiratory diseases, and their coexistence is frequently observed but not well investigated. Our aim was to study the effect of comorbid bronchiectasis on asthma. Methods A propensity score-matched cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database. From 2005 to 2008, 8,034 participants with asthma were weighted based on propensity scores in a 1:3 ratio with 24,099 participants without asthma. From the asthma group, 141 participants with overlapped bronchiectasis were identified, and 7,892 participants had only asthma. Clinical outcomes of acute asthma exacerbation(s) and mortality rates were compared among the study groups. Results The prevalence of bronchiectasis (1.7%) was 3 times higher in asthmatics than in the general population of Korea. Patients who had asthma comorbid with bronchiectasis experienced acute exacerbation(s) more frequently than non-comorbid patients (11.3% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.007). Time to the first acute exacerbation was also shorter in the asthmatics with bronchiectasis group (1,970.9 days vs. 2,479.7 days, P = 0.005). Although bronchiectasis was identified as a risk factor for acute exacerbation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–2.86), there was no significant relationship between bronchiectasis and all-cause or respiratory mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.17; 95% CI, 0.67–2.04 and aHR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.11–6.08). Conclusions Comorbid bronchiectasis increases asthma-related acute exacerbation, but it does not-raise the risk of all-cause or respiratory mortality. Close monitoring and accurate diagnosis of bronchiectasis are required for patients with frequent exacerbations of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Chul Lee
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.,Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kang Ju Son
- Department of Research and Analysis, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea
| | - Hye-Jung Park
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Ye Jung
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seon Cheol Park
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
| | - Sung Hwan Jeong
- Division of Pulmonology and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Jung-Won Park
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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6
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Song HJ, Blake KV, Wilson DL, Winterstein AG, Park H. Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Utilities of Mild, Moderate, and Severe Asthma: Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. J Asthma Allergy 2021; 14:929-941. [PMID: 34349523 PMCID: PMC8326771 DOI: 10.2147/jaa.s316278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Little information is known about the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the patient's preference values by the severity of asthma. We evaluated the HRQOL and health utility impairment associated with asthma severity using the SF-12 and SF-6D. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2010-2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey database of asthma patients aged ≥18 years and categorized them into mild, moderate, and severe asthma. Study outcomes included the SF-12 physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) for measuring HRQOL and SF-6D for health utility. Survey regression models were used to estimate HRQOL and utilities for mild, moderate, and severe asthma. Results Of 10,222 patients with asthma, 75.4%, 23.9%, and 0.8% had mild, moderate and severe asthma. We observed that the greater the severity, the lower the SF-6D scores: 0.731 in mild, 0.723 in moderate, and 0.659 in severe asthma (P < 0.001). Patients with severe asthma had a significantly lower PCS compared to those with mild asthma (-5.3; P < 0.001) but there was no significant difference in MCS (-1.9; P = 0.309) controlling for socioeconomic and clinical variables. Asthma severity, women, older age, and having a lower level education and public insurance were significantly associated with lower PCS (P < 0.01). Conclusion Asthma patients had worse physical HRQOL than mental health, especially patients with severe asthma. These data suggest that the management of physical health of female, older aged, and low education patients with asthma should be focused on improving HRQOL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jin Song
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kathryn V Blake
- Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Debbie L Wilson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Almut G Winterstein
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Haesuk Park
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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7
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Oh SH, Ku H, Park KS. Prevalence and socioeconomic burden of diabetes mellitus in South Korean adults: a population-based study using administrative data. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:548. [PMID: 33743612 PMCID: PMC7980668 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diabetes leads to severe complications and imposes health and financial burdens on the society. However, currently existing domestic public health studies of diabetes in South Korea mainly focus on prevalence, and data on the nationwide burden of diabetes in South Korea are lacking. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence and economic burden of diabetes imposed on the South Korean society. Methods A prevalence-based cost-of-illness study was conducted using the Korean national claims database. Adult diabetic patients were defined as those aged ≥20 years with claim records containing diagnostic codes for diabetes (E10-E14) during at least two outpatient visits or one hospitalization. Direct costs included medical costs for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and transportation costs. Indirect costs included productivity loss costs due to morbidity and premature death and caregivers’ costs. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the type of diabetes, age (< 65 vs. ≥65), diabetes medication, experience of hospitalization, and presence of diabetic complications or related comorbidities. Results A total of 4,472,133 patients were diagnosed with diabetes in Korea in 2017. The average annual prevalence of diabetes was estimated at 10.7%. The diabetes-related economic burden was USD 18,293 million, with an average per capita cost of USD 4090 in 2019. Medical costs accounted for the biggest portion of the total cost (69.5%), followed by productivity loss costs (17.9%), caregivers’ costs (10.2%), and transportation costs (2.4%). According to subgroup analyses, type 2 diabetes, presence of diabetic complications or related comorbidities, diabetes medication, and hospitalization represented the biggest portion of the economic burden for diabetes. As the number of complications increased from one to three or more, the per capita cost increased from USD 3991 to USD 11,965. In inpatient settings, the per capita cost was ~ 10.8 times higher than that of outpatient settings. Conclusions South Korea has a slightly high prevalence and economic burden of diabetes. These findings highlight the need for effective strategies to manage diabetic patients and suggest that policy makers allocate more health care resources to diabetes. This is the first study on this topic, conducted using a nationally representative claims database in South Korea. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10450-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Hee Oh
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daehak-ro 80, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyemin Ku
- NDnex, Saebitgongwon-ro 67, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, 14348, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Seo Park
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Deajeon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University, Dusanseo-ro 95, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 35233, Republic of Korea.
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8
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O'Neill C, Gibson PG, Heaney LG, Upham JW, Yang IA, Reynolds PN, Hodge S, Jenkins CR, Peters M, Marks GB, James AL, Simpson JL. The cost-effectiveness of azithromycin in reducing exacerbations in uncontrolled asthma. Eur Respir J 2021; 57:13993003.02436-2020. [PMID: 33008933 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02436-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Add-on azithromycin (AZM) results in a significant reduction in exacerbations among adults with persistent uncontrolled asthma. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of add-on AZM in terms of healthcare and societal costs.The AMAZES trial randomly assigned 420 participants to AZM or placebo. Healthcare use and asthma exacerbations were measured during the treatment period. Healthcare use included all prescribed medicine and healthcare contacts. Costs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were estimated based on overall consumption and published estimates of costs. The value of an avoided exacerbation was based on published references. Differences in cost between the two groups were related to differences in exacerbations in a series of net monetary benefit estimates. Societal costs included lost productivity, over the counter medicines, steroid induced morbidity and AMR costs.Add-on AZM resulted in a reduction in healthcare costs (mean (95% CI)) including nights in hospital (AUD 433.70 (AUD 48.59-818.81) or EUR 260.22 (EUR 29.15-491.29)), unplanned healthcare visits (AUD 20.25 (AUD 5.23-35.27) or EUR 12.15 (EUR 3.14-21.16)), antibiotic costs (AUD 14.88 (AUD 7.55-22.21) or EUR 8.93 (EUR 4.53-13.33)) and oral corticosteroid costs (AUD 4.73 (AUD 0.82-8.64) or EUR 2.84 (EUR 0.49-5.18)); all p<0.05. Overall healthcare and societal costs were lower (AUD 77.30 (EUR 46.38) and AUD 256.22 (EUR 153.73) respectively) albeit not statistically significant. The net monetary benefit of add-on AZM was estimated to be AUD 2072.30 (95% CI AUD 1348.55-2805.23) or (EUR 1243.38 (EUR 809.13-1683.14) assuming a willingness to pay per exacerbation avoided of AUD 2651 (EUR 1590.60). Irrespective of the sensitivity analysis applied, the net monetary benefit for total, moderate and severe exacerbations remained positive and significant.Add-on AZM therapy in poorly controlled asthma was a cost-effective therapy. Costs associated with AMR did not influence estimated cost-effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran O'Neill
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Peter G Gibson
- Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute and University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.,Dept of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Hunter New England Area Health Service, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Liam G Heaney
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - John W Upham
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Ian A Yang
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,Dept of Thoracic Medicine, The Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, Australia
| | - Paul N Reynolds
- School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sandra Hodge
- Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Lung Research Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Christine R Jenkins
- Respiratory Trials, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.,Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Concord General Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew Peters
- Dept of Thoracic Medicine, Concord General Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Guy B Marks
- Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.,South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alan L James
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.,Dept of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Jodie L Simpson
- Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute and University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.,Dept of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Hunter New England Area Health Service, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW Australia
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9
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Lee SC, Son KJ, Han CH, Jung JY, Park SC. Impact of comorbid asthma on severity of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Sci Rep 2020; 10:21805. [PMID: 33311519 PMCID: PMC7733453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77791-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The severity of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is associated with various comorbidities. However, no studies have yet demonstrated the potential risk of respiratory failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing asthma. We selected 7272 adult COVID-19 patients from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment COVID-19 database for this nationwide retrospective cohort study. Among these, 686 patients with asthma were assessed by their severities and evaluated by the clinical outcome of COVID-19 compared to patients without asthma. Of 7272 adult COVID-19 patients, 686 with asthma and 6586 without asthma were compared. Asthma was not a significant risk factor for respiratory failure or mortality among all COVID-19 patients (odds ratio [OR] = 0.99, P = 0.997 and OR = 1.06, P = 0.759) after adjusting for age, sex, and the Charlson comorbidity score. However, a history of acute exacerbation (OR = 2.63, P = 0.043) was significant risk factors for death among COVID-19 patients with asthma. Asthma is not a risk factor for poor prognosis of COVID-19. However, asthma patients who had any experience of acute exacerbation in the previous year before COVID-19 showed higher COVID-19-related mortality, especially in case of old age and male sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Chul Lee
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang Ju Son
- Department of Research and Analysis, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biostatistics and Computing, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hoon Han
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Ye Jung
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seon Cheol Park
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Song HJ, Blake KV, Wilson DL, Winterstein AG, Park H. Medical Costs and Productivity Loss Due to Mild, Moderate, and Severe Asthma in the United States. J Asthma Allergy 2020; 13:545-555. [PMID: 33149626 PMCID: PMC7605920 DOI: 10.2147/jaa.s272681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known about economic and productivity loss by severity of asthma. We investigate health-care utilization, direct medical costs, and indirect costs due to productivity loss from asthma by severity. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey database (2010–2017) of patients with asthma aged ≥12 years and categorized them into mild, moderate, and severe asthma groups based on symptom control medications. Study outcomes included health-care utilization, direct medical costs, and indirect costs of asthma-related absenteeism. We used zero-inflated Poisson regression models to estimate incremental health-care utilization and generalized linear models to estimate incremental annual direct medical costs compared to patients without asthma. Results An estimated 139 million persons had an asthma diagnosis. Of patients with asthma, 77.1%, 22.2%, and 0.7% had mild, moderate, and severe asthma, respectively. Compared to patients without asthma, patients with asthma had incremental mean differences of 4.16 outpatient visits, 0.18 emergency department visits, and 0.07 hospitalizations per year. Annual direct medical costs were significantly associated with asthma severity ($3305 in mild, $7250 in moderate, and $9175 in severe asthma) (P < 0.05). Patients with mild, moderate, and severe asthma reported 0.76, 2.31, and 7.19 missed work or school days, resulting in $106, $321, and $1000 indirect costs per person per year, respectively. Conclusion Asthma-related direct and indirect costs are significantly associated with asthma severity, with severe asthma medical costs being about three times higher than mild. Controlling asthma symptoms is important to reduce the economic and social burden of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jin Song
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kathryn V Blake
- Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Nemours Children's Specialty Care, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Debbie L Wilson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Almut G Winterstein
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, USA
| | - Haesuk Park
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Center for Drug Evaluation and Safety, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, USA
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11
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Choi K, Han S, Suh HS. Emergency department visits and hospitalisations for emergent asthmatic symptoms from 2014 to 2016: cross-sectional study in Korea. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e036237. [PMID: 32792435 PMCID: PMC7430419 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the characteristics of emergent patients with asthma who visited emergency departments (EDs) in Korea, and the consequences of these visits. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. SETTING We used data from the National Emergency Department Information System database from 2014 to 2016. The data included reports collected from 408 EDs in Korea. PARTICIPANTS We analysed the ED cases for asthma-related emergent symptoms that met the following inclusion criteria: (1) had a main diagnosis code of asthma (International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision code: J45/J46), and (2) recorded as an emergent symptom in the EDs. RESULTS During 2014-2016, there were 58 713 ED visits related to an asthma diagnosis with emergent symptoms. Following an ED visit, 31.69% were hospitalised, of which 89.88% were admitted to the general wards, and 10.12% to the intensive care units (ICUs). More than 50% of the hospitalised cases included in the group ≥70 years of age. The incidence of death during hospitalisation generally increased with age and the proportion of death in ICU exceeded 10% among the group ≥70 years. The ratio of ICU/general ward admission at the arrival time of 0-03:00, in the ≥60 years age group was the highest compared with other times of the day and age groups. CONCLUSIONS We found that among all age groups, ED visits by older patients resulted in more ICU admissions. Our results can help in providing a better understanding of medical resource utilisation by emergent patients with asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungseon Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Sola Han
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Hae Sun Suh
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
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12
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease. People with asthma have inflammation of their airways that causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness, with or without a cough. Statins possess multiple therapeutic effects, including lowering lipid levels in the blood. Statins are reported to have a potential role as an adjunct treatment in asthma. However, comprehensive evidence of the benefits and harms of using statins is required to facilitate decision making. OBJECTIVES To assess the benefits and harms of statins as an adjunct therapy for asthma in adults and children. SEARCH METHODS We searched for studies in the Cochrane Airways Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE Ovid SP and Embase Ovid SP, from their inception dates We handsearched the proceedings of major respiratory conferences. We also searched clinical trials registries for completed, ongoing and unpublished studies, and scanned the reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews to identify additional studies. The search is current to 7 February 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a parallel-group design that assessed statins for at least 12 weeks' duration. We considered all participants with a clinical diagnosis of asthma to be eligible, regardless of age, sex, disease severity and previous or current treatment. We planned to include studies reported as full text, those published as abstract only, and unpublished data. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened and selected the studies, extracted outcome data and intervention characteristics from included studies, and assessed risk of bias according to standard Cochrane methodological procedures. We resolved any disagreement through discussion. MAIN RESULTS We found only one trial involving a total of 60 people living with asthma. The trial compared the effect of atorvastatin with a placebo (dummy treatment containing lactose) in treating people with chronic asthma. The trial did not report data for the primary outcomes or adverse events. There was uncertainty about the relative effect on forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in the atorvastatin group compared with the placebo group. The study did not report serious adverse effects for the interventions. The included study had internal discrepancies in its reported data. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The evidence was of very low certainty, so we are unable to draw conclusions about the effectiveness and safety of statins to treat asthma. High-quality RCTs are needed to assess the effect of statins on people with asthma. Well-designed multicentre trials with larger samples and longer duration of treatment are required, which assess outcomes such as adverse events, hospital utilisation and costs, to provide better quality evidence. Future studies that include subgroups of obese people with asthma are also required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho Naing
- International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Han Ni
- Faculty of Medicine, SEGi University, Sibu, Malaysia
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13
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Menzies-Gow A, Mansur AH, Brightling CE. Clinical utility of fractional exhaled nitric oxide in severe asthma management. Eur Respir J 2020; 55:13993003.01633-2019. [PMID: 31949116 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01633-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, affecting over 350 million people worldwide and placing a significant burden on healthcare providers and wider society. Approximately 5-10% of asthma patients are diagnosed with severe asthma and typically are associated with increased risk of hospitalisation from exacerbations, increased morbidity, mortality and higher asthma-associated healthcare costs. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulator of immune responses and is a product of inflammation in the airways that is over-produced in asthma. Fractional exhaled NO (F eNO) is predominantly used as a predictor of response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs), to monitor adherence and as a diagnostic tool in ICS-naïve patients. In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend the use of F eNO for the initial diagnosis of patients with suspected asthma. In the USA, American Thoracic Society (ATS) guidelines recommend F eNO as part of the initial diagnosis of asthma and for monitoring of airway inflammation. F eNO has also been shown to be a predictive factor for asthma exacerbations, with higher levels being associated with a greater number of exacerbations. In addition, higher levels of F eNO have been shown to be associated with a decline in lung function. F eNO testing is a cost-effective procedure and has been shown to improve patient management when combined with standard assessment methods. Recent evidence suggests that F eNO may also be useful as a surrogate biomarker for the assessment and management of severe asthma and to predict responsiveness to some biological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adel H Mansur
- Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.,Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christopher E Brightling
- Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, Dept of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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14
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Kim BK, Park SY, Ban GY, Kim MA, Lee JH, An J, Shim JS, Lee Y, Won HK, Lee HY, Sohn KH, Kang SY, Park SY, Lee H, Kim MH, Kwon JW, Yoon SY, Lee JH, Rhee CK, Moon JY, Lee T, Kim SR, Park JS, Kim SH, Park HW, Jeong JW, Kim SH, Koh YI, Oh YM, Jang AS, Yoo KH, Cho YS. Evaluation and Management of Difficult-to-Treat and Severe Asthma: An Expert Opinion From the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the Working Group on Severe Asthma. ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2020; 12:910-933. [PMID: 32935486 PMCID: PMC7492516 DOI: 10.4168/aair.2020.12.6.910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Severe asthma (SA) presents in about 3%-5% of adult asthmatics and is responsible for over 60% of asthma-related medical expenses, posing a heavy socioeconomic burden. However, to date, a precise definition of or clear diagnostic criteria for SA have not been established, and therefore, it has been challenging for clinicians to diagnose and treat this disease. Currently, novel biologics targeting several molecules, such as immunoglobulin E, interleukin (IL)5, and IL4/IL13, have emerged, and many new drugs are under development. These have brought a paradigm shift in understanding the mechanism of SA and have also provided new treatment options. However, we need to agree on a precise definition of and its diagnostic criteria for SA. Additionally, it is necessary to explain the diagnostic criteria and to summarize current standard and additional treatment options. This review is an experts' opinion on SA from the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, the Working Group on Severe Asthma, and aims to provide a definition of and diagnostic criteria for SA, and propose future direction for SA diagnosis and management in Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung Keun Kim
- Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - So Young Park
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ga Young Ban
- Department of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi Ae Kim
- Department of Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
| | - Ji Hyang Lee
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin An
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Su Shim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Woman's University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Youngsoo Lee
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Ha Kyeong Won
- Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hwa Young Lee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyoung Hee Sohn
- Division of Pulmonology, and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sung Yoon Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea
| | - So Young Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Hyun Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Min Hye Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Woman's University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Woo Kwon
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Sun Young Yoon
- Department of Allergy and Pulmonology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Lee
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Allergy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chin Kook Rhee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Yong Moon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Taehoon Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea
| | - So Ri Kim
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Jong Sook Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Sang Heon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Heung Woo Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae Won Jeong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan, Korea
| | - Sang Hoon Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Il Koh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Yeon Mok Oh
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - An Soo Jang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Kwang Ha Yoo
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - You Sook Cho
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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15
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Kim S, Park SJ, Byun SJ, Park KH, Suh HS. Incremental economic burden associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration: a population-based study. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:828. [PMID: 31718629 PMCID: PMC6852978 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4666-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes considerable healthcare costs for patients and healthcare system, which are expected to grow as the population ages. The objective of this study was to assess the incremental economic burden of exudative AMD by comparing total healthcare costs between the exudative AMD group and non-AMD group to understand economic burden related to exudative AMD. METHODS This retrospective cohort study used the National Health Insurance Service database including the entire Korean population. Exudative AMD group included individuals with at least one claim for ranibizumab and one claim using the registration code for exudative AMD (V201). Non-AMD group was defined as individuals without any claims regarding the diagnostic code of H35.3 or ranibizumab. The exudative AMD group and non-AMD group were matched using a propensity-score model. Incremental healthcare resource utilization and healthcare costs were measured during a one-year follow-up by employing econometric models: ordinary least squares (OLS) with log transformation and heteroscedastic retransformation; and generalized linear model (GLM) with a log link function and gamma distribution. RESULTS A total of 7119 exudative AMD patients were matched to 7119 non-AMD patients. The number of outpatient visits was higher in the exudative AMD group (P-value < 0.0001), while the length of hospitalization was shorter in exudative AMD group (P-value < 0.0001). Exudative AMD patients had total costs 2.13 times (95%CI, 2.08-2.17) greater than non-AMD group using OLS, and total costs 4.06 times (95%CI, 3.82-4.31) greater than non-AMD group using GLM. Annual incremental total costs were estimated as $5519 (OLS) and $3699 (GLM). CONCLUSIONS Exudative AMD was associated with significantly increased healthcare costs compared to the non-AMD group. Attention is needed to manage the socioeconomic burden of exudative AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jun Park
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seong Jun Byun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.,School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Hyung Park
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Sun Suh
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, 2, Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Han S, Kim S, Kim H, Suh HS. Cost-utility analysis of reslizumab for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma inadequately controlled with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β 2-agonists in South Korea. Curr Med Res Opin 2019; 35:1597-1605. [PMID: 30964365 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2019.1605159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to assess the cost-utility of reslizumab for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma uncontrolled with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2-agonists (ICS/LABAs) in Korea.Methods: A Markov model with limited societal perspective was used to compare the costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of reslizumab add-on therapy with standard-of-care (high-dose ICS/LABA) and standard-of-care alone. The model adopted a 4 week cycle with the following six health states over a lifetime (60 years): controlled asthma, uncontrolled asthma, moderate exacerbation, severe exacerbation, all-cause death and asthma-related death. The population comprised adult patients (age ≥18 years) with severe eosinophilic asthma (eosinophils ≥400 cells/μL) at Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step 4 or 5 who had experienced at least three exacerbations in the preceding year. Model inputs were sourced from individual patient-level data from two 52 week randomized controlled trials of reslizumab (NCT01287039, NCT01285323). The model included discontinuation rules where patients uncontrolled with reslizumab add-on therapy were transitioned to the standard-of-care arm. Costs and QALYs were annually discounted at 5%. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.Results: Reslizumab add-on therapy was associated with increased cost (US$119,394) and improved QALYs (5.17) compared with standard-of-care alone, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US$23,081 per QALY gained. Body weight, time horizon and discount rate were influential factors in the model.Conclusions: The addition of reslizumab to high-dose ICS/LABA was cost-effective in Korean patients with severe eosinophilic asthma uncontrolled with high-dose ICS/LABA, based on the threshold of 1 gross domestic product in Korea.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01285323.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01287039.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sola Han
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Siin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungtae Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Sun Suh
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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17
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A Comparison of Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists to Low-Dose Inhaled Corticosteroids in the Elderly with Mild Asthma. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2019; 7:2642-2652.e3. [PMID: 31108218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although elderly patients with asthma have clinical characteristics different from those of young adults, few studies or guidelines have focused on specific treatments for this population. OBJECTIVE This study compared the effectiveness of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) versus inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in elderly patients with asthma in real-world settings. METHODS We extracted records for elderly patients with asthma who were newly prescribed LTRAs or low-dose ICSs from January 2003 to December 2010 from National Sample Cohort data of Korea. We defined the first prescription date for each medication as the index date. We compared the risks of asthma exacerbation between the 2 groups using Cox proportional-hazard regression after propensity score-based inverse probability of treatment weighting to balance covariates between treatment groups. We also compared asthma-related health care resource utilization and medication compliance in both groups using chi-square test and t test. RESULTS The number of identified patients newly treated with LTRAs and low-dose ICSs was 1571 and 121, respectively. The risks of asthma exacerbation in the LTRA and low-dose ICS groups after weighting were not significantly different (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.65-1.54). The proportion with high compliance (medication possession ratio ≥ 80%) in the LTRA group was higher than that in the low-dose ICS group. CONCLUSIONS The effectiveness of LTRAs was not different from that of low-dose ICSs regarding the risk of asthma exacerbation in elderly patients with asthma in real-world settings. Given the practical benefits gained from convenient administration, LTRAs can be considered a reasonable alternative first-line therapy for elderly patients with mild asthma.
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18
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Inoue H, Kozawa M, Milligan KL, Funakubo M, Igarashi A, Loefroth E. A retrospective cohort study evaluating healthcare resource utilization in patients with asthma in Japan. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2019; 29:13. [PMID: 31036818 PMCID: PMC6488614 DOI: 10.1038/s41533-019-0128-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the global economic burden of asthma is well described, detailed data regarding Asia, particularly for Japan, are relatively scarce. This retrospective study aims to fill this evidence gap by evaluating asthma-associated healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and economic burden in Japanese patients aged ≥16 years, identified using anonymized patient data from the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC) database from April 2009 to March 2015. Asthma severity was classified according to asthma treatment guidelines from the Japanese Society of Allergology. HCRU was calculated based on hospitalizations, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, and prescriptions. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for HCRU and per-patient-per-year direct costs were reported. In addition, differences across HCRU and cost variables for severe versus non-severe asthma patients were also compared. Of 541,434 asthma cases identified from the JMDC database during the study period, 54,433 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in this analysis. HCRU and costs were heavily concentrated within severe asthma, a subgroup comprising 12.7% of total study population. Moreover, patients with severe asthma had significantly higher all-cause hospitalizations, outpatient visits, outpatient prescriptions (IRR [95% CI], 1.60 [1.46-1.76]; 1.43 [1.41-1.45]; 1.24 [1.22-1.25], respectively), and total medical costs (mean ± SD costs, US$ 4345 ± 11,104 versus US$ 1528 ± 3989, P < 0.001 (t-test); US$ 1 = 110 JPY) compared with those with non-severe asthma. The burden of asthma is significantly and disproportionately concentrated in Japanese severe asthma patients, suggesting clinical failure to achieve adequate disease control. This study highlights the unmet needs for severe asthma in Japan and provides a catalyst for important dialogues in advancing public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromasa Inoue
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
| | | | | | | | - Ataru Igarashi
- Department of Drug Policy and Management, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho Naing
- International Medical University; Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
- James Cook University; Division of Tropical Health and Medicine; Townsville Australia
| | - Han Ni
- SEGi University; Faculty of Medicine; Hospital Sibu, Jalan Ulu Oya Sibu Sarawak Malaysia 96000
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20
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Kim MH, Rhee CK, Shim JS, Park SY, Yoo KH, Kim BY, Bae HW, Sim YS, Chang JH, Cho YJ, Lee JH. Inhaled Corticosteroids in Asthma and the Risk of Pneumonia. ALLERGY, ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH 2019; 11:795-805. [PMID: 31552715 PMCID: PMC6761075 DOI: 10.4168/aair.2019.11.6.795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Asthma is a common disease that is expensive and burdensome for patients. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the most important drugs for asthma treatment and are often prescribed long-term. However, the use of ICS has been reported to increase pneumonia, though this remains controversial. We evaluated whether the use of ICS increases the risk of pneumonia in asthmatic patients using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database in Korea. Methods The Asthma Management Adequacy Assessment was performed by the HIRA in Korea. Patients with claimed insurance benefits for asthma disease codes and who were prescribed asthma medications more than 2 times were enrolled. Patient demographics, asthma medications, healthcare use, and complications were analyzed. Results The total number of asthma patients was 831,613. Patients using ICS were older and had more comorbidities than those not using ICS; they also visited outpatient clinics and emergency departments, and were more often hospitalized. Pneumonia and other complications occurred more often in patients using ICS, and they used more respiratory medications, except for theophylline. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that ICS prescription was associated with pneumonia (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.41). Age, sex, medical care, use of secondary and tertiary hospitals, and hospitalization due to asthma in the previous year were also associated with pneumonia. Conclusions ICS use was associated with increasing pneumonia in asthmatic patients in Korea. Therefore, it is critical to acknowledge that the use of ICS may increase the risk of pneumonia and should be meticulously monitored in asthmatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Hye Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chin Kook Rhee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Su Shim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - So Young Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kwang Ha Yoo
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bo Yeon Kim
- Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Wonju, Korea
| | - Hye Won Bae
- Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Wonju, Korea
| | - Yun Su Sim
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Hyun Chang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Joo Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Hwa Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
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Flórez-Tanus Á, Parra D, Zakzuk J, Caraballo L, Alvis-Guzmán N. Health care costs and resource utilization for different asthma severity stages in Colombia: a claims data analysis. World Allergy Organ J 2018; 11:26. [PMID: 30459927 PMCID: PMC6231276 DOI: 10.1186/s40413-018-0205-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions worldwide. Asthma-related economic burden has been reported in Latin America, but knowledge about its economic impact to the Colombian health care system and the influence of disease severity is lacking. This study estimated direct medical costs and health care resource utilization (HCRU) in patients with asthma according to severity in Colombia. METHODS This study identified all-age patients who had at least one medical event linked to an asthma diagnosis (CIE-10: J45-J46) between 2004 and 2014. Patients were selected if they had a continuous enrollment and uninterrupted insurance coverage between January 1-2015 and December 31-2015 and were categorized into 4 different severity levels using a modified algorithm based on Leidy criteria. Healthcare utilization and costs were estimated in a 1-year period after the identification period. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with gamma distribution and log link was used to analyze costs adjusting for patient demographics. RESULTS A total of 20,410 patients were included: 69.5% had mild intermittent, 18.0% mild persistent, 6.9% moderate persistent and 5.5% severe persistent asthma; with mean costs (SD) of $67 (134), $482 (1506), $1061 (1983), $2235 (3426) respectively (p < 0.001). The mean total direct cost was estimated at $331 (1278) per patient. Medication and hospitalization had the higher proportion in total costs (46% and 31% respectively). General physician visits was the most used service (57.2%) and short-acting β-2 agonists the most used medication (24%). CONCLUSIONS Health services utilization and direct costs of asthma were highly related to disease severity. Nationwide health policies aimed at the effective control of asthma are necessary and would play an important role in reducing the associated economic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Flórez-Tanus
- Health Economics Research Group, University of Cartagena, Campus Piedra de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia
- Center for Research and Innovation in Health, Coosalud, Street 11 – 2 Floor 8, Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Devian Parra
- Health Economics Research Group, University of Cartagena, Campus Piedra de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia
- ALZAK Foundation, Calle 70 #6-99, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Josefina Zakzuk
- Health Economics Research Group, University of Cartagena, Campus Piedra de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Campus de Zaragocilla, Edificio Biblioteca Primer piso, Cartagena, Colombia
- Foundation for the Development of Medical and Biological Sciences (Fundemeb), Cra 5 #7-77, Cartagena, Colombia
- ALZAK Foundation, Calle 70 #6-99, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Luis Caraballo
- Institute for Immunological Research, University of Cartagena, Campus de Zaragocilla, Edificio Biblioteca Primer piso, Cartagena, Colombia
- Foundation for the Development of Medical and Biological Sciences (Fundemeb), Cra 5 #7-77, Cartagena, Colombia
| | - Nelson Alvis-Guzmán
- Health Economics Research Group, University of Cartagena, Campus Piedra de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia
- Hospital Management and Health Policy Research Group, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
- ALZAK Foundation, Calle 70 #6-99, Cartagena, Colombia
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22
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Kang HR, Song HJ, Nam JH, Hong SH, Yang SY, Ju S, Lee SW, Kim TB, Kim HL, Lee EK. Risk factors of asthma exacerbation based on asthma severity: a nationwide population-based observational study in South Korea. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020825. [PMID: 29567854 PMCID: PMC5875610 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Asthma exacerbation, associated with many risks factors, can reflect management failure. However, little is known about how risk factors are associated with exacerbation, according to asthma severity. We aimed to investigate differences in risk factors in patients with different asthma severity and evaluate whether risk factors differed between frequent exacerbators and patients with single exacerbation. DESIGN Nationwide population-based observational study. SETTING Korean National Sample Cohort database. PARTICIPANTS We included 22 130 adults with asthma diagnoses more than twice (ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision) codes J45 and J46) and one prescription for asthma medication from 2010 to 2011. OUTCOME MEASURES Asthma exacerbation was defined as having a corticosteroid (CS) burst characterised by a prescription of high-dose oral CS for ≥3 days or one systemic CS injection, hospitalisation or emergency department visit. RESULTS Among severities, history of CS bursts was significantly associated with exacerbation. In mild and moderate asthma, exacerbation was significantly associated with age ≥45 years, being female, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and chronic rhinitis. High medication possession ratio (MPR≥50%), compared with low MPR (<20%) showed adjusted ORs of 0.828 (95% CI 0.707 to 0.971) and 0.362 (0.185 to 0.708) in moderate and severe asthma, respectively. In severe asthma, compared with mild asthma, only allergic rhinitis and history of hospitalisation were strongly associated with exacerbation. When comparing frequent exacerbators to patients with single exacerbation, age ≥45 years, atopic dermatitis, anxiety and history of CS burst were significant risk factors in mild and moderate asthma, whereas no risk factors were significant in severe asthma. CONCLUSIONS Different associations between risk factors and asthma exacerbations based on asthma severity suggest that patients with mild asthma require greater attention to their age and comorbidities, whereas those with severe asthma require greater attention to hospitalisation history and drug adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Rim Kang
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hyun Jin Song
- College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jin Hyun Nam
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Sung-Hyun Hong
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - So-Young Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - SangEun Ju
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Sang Won Lee
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Tae-Bum Kim
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hye-Lin Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eui-Kyung Lee
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
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23
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Wang L, Zhou R, Xie X. Tiotropium added to low- to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus low- to medium-dose ICS alone for adults with mild to moderate uncontrolled persistent asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Asthma 2018; 56:69-78. [PMID: 29420077 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2018.1424192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and safety profile of tiotropium when added to low- to medium-dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) regimen versus low- to medium-dose ICS alone for adults with mild to moderate uncontrolled persistent asthma. DATA SOURCES The online databases Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant data published up to November 14, 2017; we also conducted a supplementary search using clinicaltrials.gov. STUDY SELECTIONS Only randomized control trials were included in this review. RESULTS Four studies met our inclusion criteria for this review. In our review, two crossover studies were rated as "high risk" in the domain of "other bias" because a washout was not performed between each intervention. Lung function was significantly improved in the patient group receiving low- to medium-dose ICS with tiotropium. Results were consistent between each of three subgroups (tiotropium dry powder inhaler 18 μg or Respimat Soft Mist inhaler 5 µg, Respimat Soft Mist inhaler 2.5 μg, and Respimat Soft Mist inhaler 1.25 μg). Although no significant difference in Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score was found between the two treatment groups, substantial heterogeneity was observed. The incidence of serious adverse events between the two treatment groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Tiotropium as a once daily add-on to low- to medium-dose ICS may be efficacious and well-tolerated treatment in adults with moderate uncontrolled asthma. However, as only a few studies were identified, more studies of better design and long-term trial duration are required in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqun Wang
- a Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Peking University , Beijing , China
| | - Ruirui Zhou
- a Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Peking University , Beijing , China
| | - Xiaohui Xie
- a Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Peking University , Beijing , China
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24
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Irwin RS, Manaker S, Metersky ML, Baughman RP, Otulana T, Weinberger SE, Sussman AJ, McGrath NA. Higher Priced Older Pharmaceuticals: How Should We Respond? Chest 2017; 153:23-33. [PMID: 29017958 DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2017.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We and our patients have been aware of the high cost of medications in the United States for decades; however, we are now witnessing a relatively new phenomenon: exponential price increases for some older pharmaceuticals that have been available for years. To assist practitioners in how to respond to the issue of higher priced pharmaceuticals, an interprofessional session was developed and held at CHEST 2016 in Los Angeles. The session proceedings and a few updates are presented here to summarize what pulmonologists; a sarcoidosis expert; a retired executive of a medical society, an executive of a pharmaceutical company and of a pharmacy; and an ethicist advise that we do about the problem. Because the comments presented at the session and in this manuscript represent the opinions of each author, this commentary in essence is a compilation of nine editorials. It does not represent a comprehensive discussion of the field of pricing of drugs. In reflecting upon the answers to the questions posed, and regardless of their sector of health care, all participants stated that they focused on the patient. However, actually providing patient-focused care (ie, the care defined from the patient's perspective) is another matter. To significantly improve patient satisfaction and health-care outcomes, patient-focused care needs to embody the 3 Cs of (1) communication, (2) continuity of care, and (3) concordance of expectations (ie, finding the common ground). Therefore, we discuss how the 3 Cs apply to responses to higher priced pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott Manaker
- The Perelman School of Medicine and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Mark L Metersky
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Robert P Baughman
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | | | - Steven E Weinberger
- The Perelman School of Medicine and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Medical Education and Publishing Division, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia, PA
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