Potential Impact of Slowing Disease Progression in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease on Patient Quality of Life, Caregiver Time, and Total Societal Costs: Estimates Based on Findings from GERAS-US Study

Background

Impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression on patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL), caregiver time, and societal costs is not well characterized in early AD.

Objective

To assess the association of change in cognition with HRQoL, caregiver time, and societal costs over 36 months, and estimate the impact of slowing disease progression on these outcomes.

Methods

This post-hoc analysis included patients with amyloid-positive mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild AD dementia (MILD AD) from the 36-month GERAS-US study. Disease progression was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination score. Change in outcomes associated with slowing AD progression was estimated using coefficients from generalized linear models.

Results

At baseline, 300 patients had MCI and 317 had MILD AD. Observed natural progression over 36 months was associated with: 5.1 point decline in the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID) score (for HRQoL), increase in 1,050 hours of total caregiver time, and $8,504 total societal costs for MCI; 6.6 point decline in the BASQID score, increase in 1,929 hours of total caregiver time, and $12,795 total societal costs for MILD AD per person. Slowing AD progression by 30% could result in per person savings in HRQoL decline, total caregiver time, and total societal costs: for MCI: 1.5 points, 315 hours, and $2,638; for MILD AD: 2.0 points, 579 hours, and $3,974.

Conclusions

Slowing AD progression over 36 months could slow decline in HRQoL and save caregiver time and societal cost in patients with MCI and MILD AD.

Early start of anti-dementia medication is associated with lower health and social care costs in Alzheimer´s patients: a Finnish nationwide register study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between health and social care costs and early start of anti-dementia medication in a nationwide cohort of Finnish Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

METHODS

The cohort included 7454 Finnish AD patients who had their first AD diagnosis in 2012 and lived at home at the time of diagnosis. Data were collected retrospectively from the Finnish national health and social care registers. The primary outcome was 2-year cumulative direct costs after the incident AD diagnosis. The exploratory variable was early anti-dementia medication start (anti-dementia medication started within 3 months of the incident AD diagnosis). Sociodemographic variables, admission to 24-h care and care intensity level, as well as comorbidities were considered as adjusting variables.

RESULTS

Of all patients, 88.9% started AD medication within 3 months of diagnosis. The 2-year cumulative costs were €30,787 and €40,484 per patient for early and late starters, respectively. When adjusted for possible confounders, early start of anti-dementia medication was associated with 26.5% lower 2-year cumulative costs compared to late starters (relative cost 0.735; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Early diagnosis and start of anti-dementia medication is important for managing the costs of increasing number of AD patients.

Utilization of Health Services Before and After Diagnosis in a Specialist Rural and Remote Memory Clinic

Background

Limited research exists on the use of specific health services over an extended time among rural persons with dementia. The study objective was to examine health service use over a 10-year period, five years before until five years after diagnosis in the specialist Rural and Remote Memory Clinic (RRMC).

Methods

Clinical and administrative health data of RRMC patients were linked. Annual health service utilization of the cohort (N = 436) was analyzed for 416 patients pre-index (57.5% female, mean age 71.2 years) and 419 post-index (56.3% female, mean age 70.8 years). Approximately 40% of memory clinic diagnoses were Alzheimer's disease (AD), 20% non-AD dementia, and 40% mild or subjective cognitive impairment or other condition. Post-index, 188 patients (44.9%) moved to permanent long-term care and were retained in the sample; 121 patients died (28.9%) and were removed yearly.

Results

Over the ten-year study period, a significant increase occurred in the average number of FP visits, all-type drug prescriptions, and dementia-specific drug prescriptions (all p <.001). The highest proportion of patients hospitalized was observed one year pre-index, the highest average number of specialist visits was observed one year post-index, and both demonstrated a significant decreasing trend in the five-year post-index period (p = .037).

Conclusions

A pattern of increasing FP visits and drug prescriptions over an extended period before and after diagnosis in a specialist rural and remote memory clinic highlights a need to support FPs in post-diagnostic management. Further research of longitudinal patterns in health service utilization is merited.

Healthcare Costs in the Year Before and After Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis: A Danish Register-Based Matched Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) carries a significant economic burden, with costs peaking around the time of diagnosis. However, the cost of diagnosis, including the time leading up to it, has not been studied thoroughly. Furthermore, regionalized healthcare structure could result in differences in the pre-diagnostic costs for people with suspected AD.

OBJECTIVE

This study set out to estimate the excess healthcare costs before and after AD diagnosis compared to a matched non-AD population and to investigate regional variation in AD healthcare costs in Denmark.

METHODS

We used a register-based cohort of 25,523 matched pairs of new cases of AD and non-AD controls. The healthcare costs included costs on medication, and inpatient-, outpatient-, and primary care visits. Generalized estimating equations were employed to estimate the excess healthcare cost attributable to diagnosing AD, and the variation in costs across regions.

RESULTS

Mean excess costs attributable to AD were € 3,284 and € 6,173 in the year before and after diagnosis, respectively. Regional differences in healthcare costs were identified in both the AD and control groups and were more pronounced in patients with AD (PwAD). The variation over time in regional inequality between PwAD and their controls was identified.

CONCLUSION

PwAD incur higher healthcare costs across all cost categories in the year before and after diagnosis. Regional differences in healthcare utilization by PwAD may reveal potential variation in access to healthcare. These findings suggest that a more standardized and targeted diagnostic process may help reduce costs and variation in access to healthcare.

Disease progression and costs at the 3-year follow-up of the GERAS-US study

Introduction

GERAS-US prospectively characterized clinical and economic outcomes of early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Societal cost changes were examined in amyloid-positive patients with mild cognitive impairment due to AD (MCI) and mild dementia due to AD (MILD).

Methods

Cognition, function, and caregiver burden were assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Function Index (CFI), and Zarit Burden Interview, respectively. Costs are presented as least square mean for the overall population and for MCI versus MILD using mixed model repeated measures.

Results

MMSE score and CFI worsened. Total societal costs (dollars/month) for MCI and MILD, respectively, were higher at baseline ($2430 and $4063) but steady from 6 ($1977 and $3032) to 36 months ($2007 and $3392). Direct non-medical costs rose significantly for MILD. Caregiver burden was higher for MILD versus MCI at 12, 18, and 24 months.

Discussion

Function and cognition declined in MILD. Non-medical costs reflect the increasing impact of AD even in its early stages.

HIGHLIGHTS

In the GERAS-US study, total societal costs for patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI) and mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (MILD) were higher at baseline but steady from 6 to 36 months.Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Cognitive Function Index (CFI) worsened; the rate of decline was significant for patients with MILD but not for those with MCI.There was a rise in direct non-medical costs at 36 months for patients with MILD.Caregiver burden was higher for MILD versus MCI at 12, 18, and 24 months.Slowing the rate of disease progression in this early symptomatic population may allow patients to maintain their ability to carry out everyday activities longer.

The Costs of Dementia in Europe: An Updated Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The prevalence of dementia is increasing, while new opportunities for diagnosing, treating and possibly preventing Alzheimer's disease and other dementia disorders are placing focus on the need for accurate estimates of costs in dementia. Considerable methodological heterogeneity creates challenges for synthesising the existing literature. This study aimed to estimate the costs for persons with dementia in Europe, disaggregated into cost components and informative patient subgroups.

METHODS

We conducted an updated literature review searching PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for studies published from 2008 to July 2021 reporting empirically based cost estimates for persons with dementia in European countries. We excluded highly selective or otherwise biased reports, and used a random-effects meta-analysis to produce estimates of mean costs of care across five European regions.

RESULTS

Based on 113 studies from 17 European countries, the estimated mean costs for all patients by region were highest in the British Isles (73,712 EUR), followed by the Nordics (43,767 EUR), Southern (35,866 EUR), Western (38,249 EUR), and Eastern Europe and Baltics (7938 EUR). Costs increased with disease severity, and the distribution of costs over informal and formal care followed a North-South gradient with Southern Europe being most reliant on informal care.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this study represents the most extensive meta-analysis of the cost for persons with dementia in Europe to date. Though there is considerable heterogeneity across studies, much of this is explained by identifiable factors. Further standardisation of methodology for capturing resource utilisation data may further improve comparability of future studies. The cost estimates presented here may be of value for cost-of-illness studies and economic evaluations of novel diagnostic technologies and therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

A Literature Review on the Burden of Alzheimer's Disease on Care Partners

BACKGROUND

Many individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are dependent on nonprofessional care partners. Providing informal care can result in emotional, physical, and financial burdens; however, there is a need for a better understanding of the impact of AD on care partners to support the clinical and economic assessment of potential new treatments.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a literature review to evaluate the burden experienced by care partners of individuals with AD.

METHODS

Electronic screening and supplementary searches identified studies published from 2011 to 2022 describing the association between AD and the quality of life (QoL) and physical health of care partners, and the economic or financial burden of AD.

RESULTS

Following electronic screening, 62, 25, and 39 studies were included on care partner burden, cost, and healthcare resource use in AD, respectively. Supplementary searches identified an additional 32 studies, resulting in 149 unique studies. These studies showed that care partners of individuals with AD report moderate to severe burden. Higher burden and lower QoL were observed in those caring for individuals with more severe AD. Care partners of individuals with AD experience higher burden, lower QoL, and higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety than those without caring responsibilities. Informal care costs increased with AD severity and accounted for the greatest proportion of overall societal cost.

CONCLUSIONS

Care partners of individuals with AD experience emotional and economic burden, which increases with AD severity. These impacts should be quantified comprehensively in future studies and captured in economic evaluations of AD interventions.

Hospitalizations in older-adults newly diagnosed with dementia: A population-based longitudinal study in Israel

OBJECTIVES

To compare inpatient burden (i.e. likelihood of hospitalization, number of admissions and length of stay) in persons with newly diagnosed dementia to the general population without dementia. Additionally, to evaluate whether inpatient burden is increased during the years prior to and post dementia diagnosis, and to identify factors associated with increased inpatient burden.

METHOD

The Israeli National Dementia Dataset (2016) was cross-linked with the National Hospital Discharge Database of the Israeli Ministry of Health (2014-2018). Dementia definition was based on documented dementia diagnoses and/or the purchase of medications during 2016. Mixed-effects models were applied to identify demographic and health characteristics associated with inpatient burden in the one and 2 years prior to and after dementia diagnosis.

RESULTS

The dataset included 11,625 individuals aged ≥65 years, identified as incident dementia cases. Compared to the general population of older-adults without dementia, those with newly diagnosed dementia had a higher age-standardized proportion of hospitalizations (26.4% vs. 40%). The odds for hospitalization were highest during the year preceding dementia diagnosis (OR = 3.19, 95% CI 2.51-4.06) compared to 2 years prior to diagnosis, and remained high (although slightly decreased) after dementia diagnosis. Older age was associated with inpatient burden after, but not prior to dementia diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Older persons with dementia are a vulnerable population group with increased utilization of inpatient burden compared to those without dementia, particularly in the years surrounding dementia diagnosis. Sociodemographic risk factors may differ with respect to the time surrounding dementia diagnosis.

Use of α1-Adrenoceptor Antagonists Tamsulosin and Alfuzosin and The Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Purpose

Tamsulosin has been associated with dementia, but the results have been inconsistent. Concerns have been raised about using exposure assessment time too close to the outcome. We investigated the association between use of α1‐adrenoceptor antagonists indicated for benign prostate hyperplasia and risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) using different exposure windows.

Methods

The study (24 602 cases and 98 397 matched controls) included men from the Finnish nationwide nested case–control study on Medication and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ). Cases received clinically verified AD diagnosis during 2005–2011 and were community‐dwelling at the time of diagnosis. Use of tamsulosin and alfuzosin in 1995–2011 was identified from the Prescription Register and categorized based on whether it had occurred within 3 years before AD diagnosis (lag time) or before that. Dose–response analysis using defined daily doses of drug (DDDs) was conducted. Associations were investigated with conditional logistic regression, adjusted for confounders and mediators.

Results

The use of α1‐adrenoceptor antagonists before lag time associated with an increased risk of AD (OR 1.24 [1.20–1.27]). After adjustment for comorbidities and concomitant drug use throughout the assessment time (confounders) and healthcare contacts within the lag period (mediators), the association weakened (aOR 1.10 [1.06–1.14]). We found no evidence of dose–response‐relationship when comparing the users of higher than median DDDs to the users of lower than median DDDs.

Conclusion

Our findings, especially the lack of dose–response‐relationship and attenuation after mediator adjustment, do not provide strong support for the previous hypothesis on α1‐adrenoceptor antagonists as a risk factor for dementia.

The Excess Costs of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Dementia is one of the costliest diseases for health care systems with growing importance for policy makers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to systematically review the current literature of excess cost studies for dementia and to analyze excess costs in a meta-analysis.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EconLit, NHS-EED, and Cochrane Library. 22 studies were included and assigned to one of three subgroups according to the time period that they analyzed during disease progression: the time of diagnosis, the time between diagnosis and death, and the time prior to death. Excess costs were analyzed using the ratio of means (ROM) and meta-analysis was performed by pooling ROMs in a random effects model.

RESULTS

Total costs were significantly higher for demented persons compared to non-demented persons at the time of diagnosis (ROM: 2.08 [1.71, 2.54], p <  0.00001, I2 = 98%) and in the time period between diagnosis and death (ROM: 2.19 [1.97, 2.44], p <  0.00001, I2 = 100%). The ROM was highest for professional home care (ROM: 4.96 [2.62, 9.40], p <  0.0001, I2 = 88%) and for nursing facilities (ROM: 4.02 [2.53, 6.40], p <  0.00001, I2 = 100%) for the time period between diagnosis and death.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis is the first to assess excess costs of dementia by the ROM method on a global scale. We conclude that our findings demonstrate that costs of dementia constitute a substantial economic burden.

Tip of the Iceberg: Assessing the Global Socioeconomic Costs of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Strategic Implications for Stakeholders

While it is generally understood that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) is one of the costliest diseases to society, there is widespread concern that researchers and policymakers are not comprehensively capturing and describing the full scope and magnitude of the socioeconomic burden of ADRD. This review aimed to 1) catalogue the different types of AD-related socioeconomic costs described in the literature; 2) assess the challenges and gaps of existing approaches to measuring these costs; and 3) analyze and discuss the implications for stakeholders including policymakers, healthcare systems, associations, advocacy groups, clinicians, and researchers looking to improve the ability to generate reliable data that can guide evidence-based decision making. A centrally emergent theme from this review is that it is challenging to gauge the true value of policies, programs, or interventions in the ADRD arena given the long-term, progressive nature of the disease, its insidious socioeconomic impact beyond the patient and the formal healthcare system, and the complexities and current deficiencies (in measures and real-world data) in accurately calculating the full costs to society. There is therefore an urgent need for all stakeholders to establish a common understanding of the challenges in evaluating the full cost of ADRD and define approaches that allow us to measure these costs more accurately, with a view to prioritizing evidence-based solutions to mitigate this looming public health crisis.

Trajectories of health system use and survival for community-dwelling persons with dementia: a cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To determine the long-term trajectories of health system use by persons with dementia as they remain in the community over time.

DESIGN

Population-based cohort study using health administrative data.

SETTING

Ontario, Canada from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2014.

PARTICIPANTS

62 622 community-dwelling adults aged 65+ years with prevalent dementia on 1 April 2007 matched 1:1 to persons without dementia based on age, sex and comorbidity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of health service use, long-term care placement and mortality over time.

RESULTS

After 7 years, 49.0% of persons with dementia had spent time in long-term care (6.8% without) and 64.5% had died (30.0% without). Persons with dementia were more likely than those without to use home care (rate ratio (RR) 3.02, 95% CI 2.93 to 3.11) and experience hospitalisations with a discharge delay (RR 2.36, 95% CI 2.30 to 2.42). As they remained in the community, persons with dementia used home care at a growing rate (10.7%, 95% CI 10.0 to 11.3 increase per year vs 6.7%, 95% CI 4.3 to 9.0 per year among those without), but rates of acute care hospitalisation remained constant (0.6%, 95% CI -0.6 to 1.9 increase per year).

CONCLUSIONS

While persons with dementia used more health services than those without dementia over time, the rate of change in use differed by service type. These results, particularly enumerating the increased intensity of home care service use, add value to capacity planning initiatives where limited budgets require balancing services.

Burden of Disease and Current Management of Dementia with Lewy Bodies: A Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

A significant proportion of dementia is concretely estimated to be attributable to dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)-one of the most common types of progressive dementia; however, there is a paucity of literature on this disease. We aimed to examine available evidence to gain a better understanding of its treatment landscape, clinical management, and disease burden.

METHODS

A systematic literature review captured any DLB studies that report on randomised controlled trials (RCTs), epidemiology, disease progression, and economic data. An additional targeted literature review captured studies reporting on clinical management and quality of life (QoL) in this disease. Publication date was limited to 1 January 2007-26 March 2018, with the exception for RCTs, where no time restrictions were applied.

FINDINGS

Of the 3486 studies initially identified, 55 studies were eligible for inclusion. The studies were mainly from Europe (n = 29), the USA (n = 9), and Japan (n = 8). Mini-Mental State Examination and Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores were the most commonly reported clinical outcomes in RCTs (n = 14). The most frequently identified interventions reported in RCTs were donepezil and memantine. Patients with DLB typically reported worse outcomes in relation to efficacy and safety, cognitive impairment, survival, and QoL compared with those with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Additionally, patients with DLB were associated with higher hospitalisation rates and cost of care. Furthermore, there is a reliance on a small number of consensus guidelines. Of these, only one set of guidelines (DLB Consortium) was developed specifically for DLB.

CONCLUSION

The paucity of data indicates an unmet need in this therapy area. Although several studies look into the clinical and pathological aspects of DLB, consensus guidelines and studies on healthcare utilisation in patients with dementia have largely focused on AD. Additionally, most of the findings were made in comparison with AD.

FUNDING

Eisai Inc.

Predictors of high hospital care and medication costs and cost trajectories in community-dwellers with Alzheimer's disease

Objectives: We studied the determinants of high healthcare costs (highest decile of hospital care and medication costs) and cost trajectories among all community-dwellers with clinically verified Alzheimer's disease (AD), diagnosed during 2005-2011 in Finland (N = 70,531). Methods: The analyses were done separately for hospital care costs, medication costs and total healthcare costs that were calculated for each 6-month period from 5 years before to 3 years after AD diagnosis. Results: Total healthcare costs were driven mainly by hospital care costs. The definition of "high-cost person" was time-dependent as 63% belonged to the highest 10% at some timepoint during the study period and six distinct cost trajectories were identified. Strokes, cardiovascular diseases, fractures and mental and behavioural disorders were most strongly associated with high hospital care costs. Conclusions: Although persons with AD are often collectively considered as expensive patient group, there is large temporal and inter-individual variation in belonging to the highest decile of hospitalization and/or medication costs. It would be important to assess whether hospitalization rate could be decreased by, e.g., comprehensive outpatient care with more efficient management of comorbidities. In addition, other interventions that could decrease hospitalization rate in persons with dementia should be studied further in this context. Key messages Persons with AD had large individual fluctuation in hospital care costs and medication costs over time. Hospital care costs were considerably larger than medication costs, with fractures, cardiovascular diseases and mental and behavioural disorders being the key predictors. Antidementia medication was associated with lower hospital care costs.

Long-term medical costs of Alzheimer's disease: matched cohort analysis

OBJECTIVES

Medical costs associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterised by uncertainty and are often presented in a format unsuitable for decision modelling. We set out to estimate long-term medical costs attributable to AD compared to the general population for use in decision modelling.

METHODS

We used multiple logistic regressions to generate propensity scores to match 26,951 incident cases of AD with 26,951 people without AD, identified from Danish hospital and medication registries. Costs were available for up to 11 years for each individual, representing costs for 10 years before and 5 years after diagnosis. Generalised estimating equations were employed to investigate the effect of having AD on primary care, medication, hospital and total costs in the matched cohort. We also explored the impact of other socio-economic and demographic factors on healthcare costs.

RESULTS

We report costs by year to diagnosis, from 10 years before to 5 after. AD was associated with significantly higher costs, driven by medication and hospital costs, especially around the time of diagnosis. Mean total medical cost was €4996 higher for AD than for the control group in year of diagnosis, after which primary and hospital costs decreased to pre-diagnostic levels. AD had higher attributable primary care costs in years preceding diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Reporting AD-attributable costs by year to diagnosis can be useful for use in decision modelling. Medical costs attributed to AD are driven by diagnostic procedures and medication, and the impact of AD on medical costs may not be as high or prolonged as previously suggested.

Increased Health Care Utilization in Dementia Subtypes Before Diagnosis

INTRODUCTION

Prior studies have reported higher health care utilization (HCU) leading up to diagnosis of the Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD), but none have assessed variation in HCU by ADRD subtype or examined disease-specific HCU. The objectives of this study were to identify ADRD subtypes and: (1) characterize all-cause and (2) disease-specific HCU during the 3 years preceding diagnosis, and (3) determine if HCU varied by ADRD subtype.

METHODS

We used data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse 2008 to 2014 to identify ADRD subtypes (total N=36,838) using an algorithm based on temporal sequencing of diagnoses and provider type. Annual counts of all-cause and disease-specific HCU in each of the 3 years preceding ADRD diagnosis were regressed on ADRD subtypes with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as the reference group, year, and other variables.

RESULTS

HCU increased over time, was highest in the outpatient setting, and varied by ADRD subtype. Compared with MCI, highest HCU was observed in vascular and nonspecific dementia. Compared with MCI, most subtypes had elevated disease-specific HCU.

DISCUSSION

Variation in HCU by ADRD subtype points to different pathways to diagnosis and patterns of use.

Determinants of hospitalization and length of stay among people with dementia - An analysis of statutory health insurance claims data

OBJECTIVE

Dementia is a crucial challenge in acute care hospitals. Using a retrospective claims data cohort, this paper explores dementia patients' acute hospitalization rates, risk factors, and length of stay.

METHODS

The study used claims data from AOK PLUS, the largest statutory health insurance service (SHI) in Saxony, a federal state of Germany. The analysis included 61,239 people with dementia and 183,477 control subjects, all 65 years and older. Control subjects were age, gender, and regionally matched in a 1:3 ratio. Negative binomial hurdle regression was used to compare differences in hospitalization for the year 2014.

RESULTS

People with dementia had 1.49 times higher adjusted odds of being hospitalized at least once (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-1.52). Among those individuals hospitalized at least once, dementia increased the number of readmissions by 18% (95% CI, 1.15-1.20). Dementia patients also had a 1.74 times higher odds for at least one emergency admission compared to individuals without dementia (95% CI, 1.70-1.78). Dementia patients' admission risk factors included having care dependency, being recently diagnosed with dementia and living outside a metropolitan region. The increased length of stay for people with dementia per year was mainly attributable to higher admission rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Dementia patients are at higher risk for hospitalization, especially if they live outside the metropolitan region. Healthcare systems need to respond to the challenges resulting from the predicted demographic developments and increasing burden of dementia in the general population.

Hospitalization in people with dementia with Lewy bodies: Frequency, duration, and cost implications

Introduction

Increased hospitalization is a major component of dementia impact on individuals and cost, but has rarely been studied in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Our aim was to describe the risk and duration of hospital admissions in patients with DLB, and compare these to those in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the general population.

Methods

A large database of mental health and dementia care in South London was used to assemble a cohort of patients diagnosed with DLB. These were 1:4 matched with patients diagnosed with AD on age, gender, and cognitive status.

Results

Rates of hospital admissions in the year after dementia diagnosis were significantly higher in 194 patients with DLB than in 776 patients with AD (crude incidence rate ratio 1.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.28-1.75) or the catchment population (indirectly standardized hospitalization rate 1.22; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.39). Patients with DLB had on average almost four additional hospital days per person-year than patients with AD. Multivariate Poisson regression models indicated poorer physical health early in the disease course as the main driver of this increased rate of hospitalization, whereby neuropsychiatric symptoms additionally explained the higher number of hospital days.

Discussion

Patients with DLB are more frequently admitted to general hospitals and utilize inpatient care to a substantially higher degree than patients with AD or the general elderly population. These data highlight an opportunity to reduce hospital days by identifying DLB earlier and providing more targeted care focused on the specific triggers for hospitalization and associations of prolonged stay.

A Comparison of Sex Differences in Psychotropic Medication Use in Older People with Alzheimer's Disease in the US and Finland

AIMS

Given the high prevalence of psychotropic medication use in people with dementia and the potential for different prescribing practices in men and women, our study aimed to investigate sex differences in psychotropic medication use in older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) living in the US and Finland.

METHODS

We used data collected between 2005 and 2011 as part of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) in the US, and Medication use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) cohorts in Finland. We evaluated psychotropic medication use (antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, sedative, or hypnotic) in participants aged 65 years or older. We employed multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographics, co-morbidities, and other medications to estimate the magnitude of the association (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) according to sex.

RESULTS

We included 1099 NACC participants (502 [45.68%] men, 597 [54.32%] women), and 67,049 participants from the MEDALZ cohort (22,961 [34.24%] men, 44,088 [65.75%] women). Women were more likely than men to use psychotropic medications: US, 46.2% vs. 33.1%, p < 0.001; Finland, 45.3% vs. 36.1%, p < 0.001; aOR was 2.06 (95% CI 1.58-2.70) in the US cohort and 1.38 (95% CI 1.33-1.43) in the Finnish cohort. Similarly, of the different psychotropic medications, women were more likely to use antidepressants (aOR-US: 2.16 [1.44-3.25], Finland: 1.52 [1.45-1.58]) and anxiolytics (aOR-US: 2.16 [1.83-3.96], Finland: 1.17 [1.13-1.23]) than men.

CONCLUSION

Older women with AD are more likely to use psychotropic medications than older men, regardless of study population and country. Approaches to mitigate psychotropic medication use need to consider different prescribing habits observed in older women vs. men with AD.

The Economic Burden of Opioid Abuse: Updated Findings

BACKGROUND

Opioid pain relievers can be highly effective in providing relief for patients suffering from pain. At the same time, prescription opioid abuse, dependence, overdose, and poisoning (hereinafter "abuse") have become a national public health concern. Opioid abuse is also costly: previous estimates of the annual excess costs of opioid abuse to payers range from approximately $10,000 to $20,000 per patient.

OBJECTIVES

To (a) provide a comprehensive, current estimate of the economic burden of opioid abuse to commercial payers and (b) explore the drivers of these excess costs of abuse.

METHODS

Administrative claims from beneficiaries covered by large self-insured companies throughout the United States were used to identify patients diagnosed with opioid abuse, dependence, and overdose/poisoning ("abuse") between 2012 and 2015. Sample selection criteria identified patients most likely to be misusing opioids. Abusers and nonabuser controls were matched using propensity scores. Excess health care costs were assessed over the 18-month study period. Drivers of excess costs were then evaluated by place of service and medical condition (identified as 3-digit ICD-9-CM groupings).

RESULTS

9,342 matched abuser/nonabuser pairs were analyzed. Relative to nonabusers, abusers had significantly higher annual health care resource utilization, leading to $14,810 in per-patient incremental annual health care costs. Excess costs began accumulating 5 months before the formal, incident diagnosis of abuse, driven by alcohol and nonopioid substance abuse. Major drivers of excess costs of abuse included opioid and other substance abuse disorders, mental health conditions, and painful conditions. Many patients had diagnoses for other substance abuse that predated their opioid abuse diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Opioid abuse imposes a substantial economic burden on payers and often occurs in the context of other substance abuse. Poly-substance abuse often precedes the diagnosis of opioid abuse.

DISCLOSURES

This study was funded by Purdue Pharma. Mayne is an employee of Purdue Pharma. Kirson, Scarpati, and Birnbaum are employees of Analysis Group, which received funding from Purdue Pharma to conduct this study. Enloe and Dincer were employees of Analysis Group at the time this research was conducted. Study concept and design were contributed by Kirson, Birnbaum, Mayne, and Scarpati, along with Enloe and Dincer. Enloe and Dincer took the lead in data collection, along with Birnbaum and assisted by Kirson and Scarpati. Data interpretation was performed by all the authors. The manuscript was written and revised by Kirson and Scarpati, along with Mayne and Birnbaum.

Cohort profile: the Finnish Medication and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) study

PURPOSE

The aim of the Medicine use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) study is to investigate the changes in medication and healthcare service use among persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of medications in this group. This is important, because the number of persons with AD is rapidly growing and even though they are a particularly vulnerable patient group, the number of representative, large-scale studies with adequate follow-up time is limited.

PARTICIPANTS

MEDALZ contains all residents of Finland who received a clinically verified diagnosis of AD between 2005 and 2011 and were community-dwelling at the time of diagnosis (N=70 719). The diagnosis is based on the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCS-ADRDA) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for Alzheimer's disease. The cohort contains socioeconomic data (education, occupational status and taxable income, 1972-2012) and causes of death (2005-2012), data from the prescription register (1995-2012), the special reimbursement register (1972-2012) and the hospital discharge register (1972-2012). Future updates are planned.The average age was 80.1 years (range 34.5-104.6 years). The majority of cohort (65.2%) was women. Currently, the average length of follow-up after AD diagnosis is 3.1 years and altogether 26 045 (36.8%) persons have died during the follow-up.

FINDINGS

Altogether 53% of the cohort had used psychotropic drugs within 1 year after AD diagnoses. The initiation rate of for example, benzodiazepines and related drugs and antidepressants began to increase already before AD diagnosis.

FUTURE PLANS

We are currently assessing if these, and other commonly used medications are related to adverse events such as death, hip fractures, head injuries and pneumonia.