Primary Nonadherence, Associated Clinical Outcomes, and Health Care Resource Use Among Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Prescribed Treatment with Injectable Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs

Cost of treating rheumatoid arthritis in the primary care public health system in Ireland: A time-driven activity-based cost analysis

Background

Chronic diseases are at epidemic proportions and continuing to increase in both incidence and prevalence globally. Therefore, there is a growing need to assess and improve on the value currently provided within chronic care pathways. Examining the costs associated with care pathways is a critical part of assessing this value in order to better understand and introduce potential cost-saving interventions.

Objectives

Examining one such chronic disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), this study aimed to assess the cost associated with RA in primary care within the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland.

Methods

Following mapping of the care pathway, patient vignettes based on exemplar RA patient types were used to conduct semi-structed interviews with every member (N = 21) of the primary care RA pathway. Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) was then used to calculate the overall cost of each patient (vignette) type.

Results

RA is an expensive condition regardless of disease stage. However, newly diagnosed patients as well as those with advanced disease in need of surgical interventions demonstrated the highest costs in terms of primary care personnel use. Additionally, patients prescribed Biological Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (bDMARDs) cost significantly more than those on Conventional Synthetic Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (csDMARDs) regardless of disease stage or personnel resource use.

Conclusion

RA and a subset of RA patients that exert the highest healthcare costs are growing in prevalence. Therefore, this study contributes by assessing the costs associated with RA in HSE primary care that can facilitate better understanding the current value being provided and improve upon the current care pathway to cut future costs.

Specialty drug use for autoimmune conditions varies by race and wage among employees with employer-sponsored health insurance

BACKGROUND

The relationship between race and ethnicity, wage status, and specialty medication (SpRx) use among employees with autoimmune conditions (AICs) is poorly understood. Insight into sociodemographic variations in use of these medications can inform health equity improvement efforts.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association of race and ethnicity and wage status on SpRx use and adherence patterns among employees with AICs enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance.

METHODS

In this observational, retrospective cohort analysis, data were obtained from the IBM Watson MarketScan database for calendar year 2018. Employees were separated into race and ethnicity subgroups based on employer-provided data. Midyear employee wage data were used to allocate employees into the following annual income quartiles: $47,000 or less, $47,001-$71,000, $71,001-$106,000, and $106,001 or more. The lowest quartile was further divided into 2 groups ($35,000 or less and $35,001-$47,000) to better evaluate subgroup differences. Outcomes included monthly days SpRx-AIC supply, proportion of days covered (PDC), and medication discontinuation rates. Generalized linear regressions were used to assess differences while adjusting for patient and other characteristics.

RESULTS

From a sample of more than 2,000,000 enrollees, race and ethnicity data were available for 617,117 (29.8%). Of those, 47,839 (7.8%) were identified as having an AIC of interest, with prevalence rates of AICs differing by race within wage categories. Among those with AICs, 5,358 (11.2%) had filled at least 1 SpRx-AIC prescription. Following adjustment, except for the highest wage category, prevalence of SpRx-AIC use was significantly less among Black and Hispanic subpopulations. Black patients had significantly lower SpRx-AIC use rates than White patients (≤$35,000: 4.9 vs 9.4%, >$35,000-$47,000: 5.5 vs 10.6%, >$47,000-$71,000: 8.5 vs 11.1%, and >$71,000-$106,000: 9.1 vs 12.7%; P <0.001 for all). For Hispanic patients, prevalence rates were significantly lower than White patients in 3 different wage categories (≤$35,000: 4.5 vs 9.4%, >$35,000-$47,000: 6.1 vs 10.6%, and >$71,000-$106,000: 8.6 vs 12.7%; P < 0.001). PDC and 90-day discontinuation rates did not differ among race and ethnicity groups within the respective wage bands.

CONCLUSIONS

Race and ethnicity and wage-related disparities exist in SpRx use, but not PDC or discontinuation rates for treatment of AICs among non-White and low-income populations with employer-sponsored insurance, and may adversely impact clinical outcomes.

Using Electronic Health Records and Linked Claims Data to Assess New Medication Use and Primary Nonadherence in Rheumatology Patients

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of new medication prescriptions observed in electronic health records (EHR) that represent true incident medication use, accounting for undocumented previous prescriptions (prevalent medication use) and failure to initiate treatment (primary nonadherence) with linked administrative claims data as the reference standard.

METHODS

Using single-specialty rheumatology EHR data from more than 700 community practices in the United States linked to administrative claims data, we identified first (index) EHR prescriptions and assessed the positive predictive value (PPV) of different EHR-derived new user definitions to identify true incident use (no prior claims). We then assessed how often index EHR prescriptions that met a definition of new use resulted in primary nonadherence (no subsequent claims).

RESULTS

Overall, 12,405 index EHR prescriptions were identified with PPVs of 0.59 to 0.67 for true incident use. PPVs increased to 0.76 to 0.85 by excluding medications listed during the EHR medication reconciliation process and further increased to 0.87 to 0.93 by requiring ≥12 elapsed months since the first rheumatology office visit. Primary nonadherence at three months was observed in 33% to 38% overall and varied substantially by medication class, ranging from 15% to 23% for conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to 54% to 64% for targeted synthetic DMARDs.

CONCLUSION

New DMARD use was accurately distinguished from prevalent use with EHR prescriptions and simple new user definitions that include current medications collected during medication reconciliation. Primary nonadherence was frequent and varied by DMARD class. This has important implications for epidemiologic studies using EHR data and for optimal delivery of clinical care.

Using pooled electronic health records data to conduct pharmacoepidemiology safety studies: Challenges and lessons learned

PURPOSE

We assessed the suitability of pooled electronic health record (EHR) data from clinical research networks (CRNs) of the patient-centered outcomes research network to conduct studies of the association between tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and infections.

METHODS

EHR data from patients with one of seven autoimmune diseases were obtained from three CRNs and pooled. Person-level linkage of CRN data and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) fee-for-service claims data was performed where possible. Using filled prescriptions from CMS claims data as the gold standard, we assessed the misclassification of EHR-based new (incident) user definitions. Among new users of TNFi, we assessed subsequent rates of hospitalized infection in EHR and CMS data.

RESULTS

The study included 45 483 new users of TNFi, of whom 1416 were successfully linked to their CMS claims. Overall, 44% of new EHR TNFi prescriptions were not associated with medication claims. Our most specific new user definition had a misclassification rate of 3.5%-16.4% for prevalent use, depending on the medication. Greater than 80% of CRN prescriptions had either zero refills or missing refill data. Compared to using EHR data alone, there was a 2- to 8-fold increase in hospitalized infection rates when CMS claims data were added to the analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

EHR data substantially misclassified TNFi exposure and underestimated the incidence of hospitalized infections compared to claims data. EHR-based new user definitions were reasonably accurate. Overall, using CRN data for pharmacoepidemiology studies is challenging, especially for biologics, and would benefit from supplementation by other sources.

Not obtaining a medication the first time it is prescribed: primary non-adherence to cardiovascular pharmacotherapy

Primary medication non-adherence describes the situation when a first prescription for a new medication is never filled. Primary non-adherence is an important, yet understudied aspect of reduced effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. This review summarizes the frequency, impact, reasons, predictors, and interventions regarding primary non-adherence to cardiovascular/cardiometabolic drugs. The current literature reveals a high prevalence of primary non-adherence. The individual risk of primary non-adherence is determined on multiple factors, e.g., primary non-adherence of lipid-lowering drugs is higher compared to antihypertensive medications. However, the overall rate of primary non-adherence is > 10%. Additionally, this review identifies specific areas for research to better understand why patients forgo evidence-based beneficial pharmacotherapy and to explore targeted interventions. At the same time, measures to reduce primary non-adherence-once proven to be effective-may represent an important new opportunity to reduce cardiovascular diseases.

Patient Trust in Physicians Matters-Understanding the Role of a Mobile Patient Education System and Patient-Physician Communication in Improving Patient Adherence Behavior: Field Study

BACKGROUND

The ultimate goal of any prescribed medical therapy is to achieve desired outcomes of patient care. However, patient nonadherence has long been a major problem detrimental to patient health and, thus, is a concern for all health care providers. Moreover, nonadherence is extremely costly for global medical systems because of unnecessary complications and expenses. Traditional patient education programs often serve as an intervention tool to increase patients' self-care awareness, disease knowledge, and motivation to change patient behaviors for better adherence. Patient trust in physicians, patient-physician relationships, and quality of communication have also been identified as critical factors influencing patient adherence. However, little is known about how mobile patient education technologies help foster patient adherence.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to empirically investigate whether and how a mobile patient education system (MPES) juxtaposed with patient trust can increase patient adherence to prescribed medical therapies.

METHODS

This study was conducted based on a field survey of 125 patients in multiple states in the United States who have used an innovative mobile health care system for their health care education and information seeking. Partial least squares techniques were used to analyze the collected data.

RESULTS

The results revealed that patient-physician communication and the use of an MPES significantly increase patients' trust in their physicians. Furthermore, patient trust has a prominent effect on patient attitude toward treatment adherence, which in turn influences patients' behavioral intention and actual adherence behavior. Based on the theory of planned behavior, the results also indicated that behavioral intention, response efficacy, and self-efficacy positively influenced patients' actual treatment adherence behavior, whereas descriptive norms and subjective norms do not play a role in this process.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is one of the first that examines the relationship between patients who actively use an MPES and their trust in their physicians. This study contributes to this context by enriching the trust literature, addressing the call to identify key patient-centered technology determinants of trust, advancing the understanding of patient adherence mechanisms, adding a new explanation of the influence of education mechanisms delivered via mobile devices on patient adherence, and confirming that the theory of planned behavior holds in this patient adherence context.

Digital Health Integration Assessment and Maturity of the United States Biopharmaceutical Industry: Forces Driving the Next Generation of Connected Autoinjectable Devices

Autoinjectable devices continue to provide real-life benefits for patients with chronic conditions since their widespread adoption 30 years ago with the rise of macromolecules. Nonetheless, issues surrounding adherence, patient administration techniques, disease self-management, and data outcomes at scale persist despite product design innovation. The interface of drug device combination products and digital health technologies formulates a value proposition for next-generation autoinjectable devices to power the delivery of precision care at home and achieve the full potential of biologics. Success will largely be dependent on biopharma’s digital health maturity to implement this framework. This viewpoint measures the digital health maturity of the top 15 biopharmaceutical companies in the US biologics autoinjector market and establishes the framework for next-generation autoinjectable devices powering home-based precision care and the need for formal digital health training.

Hospitalized Patients Accessing Information on Prescribed Medications from the Bedside Terminal: A Cross-Sectional Study

Studies have documented the impact of various types of health care information technology (HIT) on patient outcomes. However, literature on the HIT products is largely for outpatients and little is known about those for hospitalized patients. In 2014, a Korean hospital developed an inpatient portal known as the Smart Bedside Station (SBS). A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the associated factors for accessing the medication view menu (Today’s Medication) on the SBS using data from October 2018 through September 2019. A root cause analysis with expert review was conducted to identify additional barriers for accessing the medication view menu. Approximately 92.58% of the study population accessed the SBS at least once during their hospital stay. However, 99.20% of accessed patients used the SBS for entertainment purposes (e.g., television) and 40.16% viewed the medication information. Younger age, higher education, and certain jobs were significant associated factors for accessing the medication information. In conclusion, this study revealed strong associations between accessing the medication view menu on the SBS and a number of associated factors. Based on the results, further research is warranted to suggest new items to access the medication view menu by hospitalized patients.

Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Drug Dispensing Patterns Among Medicaid and Medicaid-Medicare Dually Eligible Beneficiaries in Puerto Rico

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Puerto Rico, to describe disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) dispensing patterns by prescriber specialty, and to illustrate the impact of RA case definition on the estimated prevalence.

METHODS

This study estimated the prevalence of RA in Puerto Rico during 2016 among Medicaid and Medicaid-Medicare dually eligible beneficiaries of the Mi Salud health care plan, a federally funded health insurance program. DMARD dispensing and cost patterns were described and stratified by provider specialty. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of RA case definition on estimated prevalence.

RESULTS

The prevalence of RA in 2016 was estimated to be 2 cases per 1,000 beneficiaries, with 3 per 1,000 beneficiaries among females, 4.5 times that of males. In total, 44% of beneficiaries received conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) only, 32% received biologic or targeted synthetic DMARDs (b/tsDMARDs) only, and 24% received a combination of csDMARDs and b/tsDMARDs. Rheumatologists and a combination of specialties accounted for the highest median number of dispensed DMARDs, with 14 each. A sensitivity analysis revealed that when RA cases with ≥3 medical claims were restricted to having ≥1 DMARD claim, the estimated prevalence changed from 6 to 3 cases per 1,000 beneficiaries.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of RA in Puerto Rico in this study is lower than reported in the mainland US, possibly due to more stringent criteria to define RA. DMARD dispensing and cost patterns are similar to those found in other studies. Claims algorithms that identify RA have higher validity when pharmacy data is included.

Real-World Adherence to Oral Methotrexate Measured Electronically in Patients With Established Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective

To assess methotrexate (MTX) adherence using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) and characterize associations with adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Eligible patients participated in Forward, the National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases, and recently (12 months or sooner) initiated oral MTX. MEMS was used to compile MTX weekly dosing over 24 weeks. The Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) was completed, and baseline demographics and disease characteristics obtained. MTX adherence (percentage of weeks dose taken correctly), implementation (percentage of weeks dose taken correctly from initiation until last dose), and persistence (duration from initiation to last dose) were calculated. Analyses measured associations between patient characteristics and adherence, modeled using logistic generalized estimating equations and censored Poisson regression, and persistence modeled using Cox regression.

Results

Overall, 60 of 119 eligible patients were included in the analysis. MTX adherence, implementation, and persistence were 75%, 80%, and 83%, respectively, at 24 weeks. Demographics and disease characteristics were generally similar between patients with 1 week or less and 2 weeks or more of missed MTX. Unemployment, less disability, higher Patient Global scores, and no prior disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use were associated with correct dosing. No significant differences in adherence were observed between patients receiving concomitant MTX versus MTX monotherapy, and biologic DMARD‐experienced versus biologic DMARD‐naïve patients. Higher scores in BMQ Specific Necessity (indicating a greater belief in the necessity of the medication) was associated with a decreased likelihood of dosing at an interval shorter than prescribed (odds ratio 0.89).

Conclusion

Even in a participatory group over a short period, MTX adherence was suboptimal and associated with certain demographics, medication experience, and beliefs about medicines. This suggests a need for screening and alternative treatment opportunities in nonadherent MTX patients with RA.

Impact of Online Prescription Management Systems on Biologic Treatment Initiation

Introduction

Pharmaceutical firms have begun offering online prescription management systems to facilitate prescription processing. This study evaluated the impact of the HUMIRA Complete Pro (HCPro) online prescription management system on the rate of abandonment and the time to first fill for patients prescribed adalimumab (ADA). A retrospective cohort analysis of patients initiating ADA treatment with or without use of the HCPro online prescription processing system was used to evaluate the impact of HCPro on treatment initiation outcomes.

Methods

Patient-level data for patients with an ADA prescription processed through HCPro were mapped to Symphony Health claims for patients initiating ADA between January 2012 and January 2015. The sample included patients aged ≥ 18 years with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis who had data available 3 months before and after their first ADA claim (index date). Baseline characteristics, prescription abandonment rate, and time-to-first-prescription fill were compared between patients with a prescription processed through HCPro (HCPro cohort) and those without (non-HCPro cohort). The odds of abandonment were evaluated in the 3 months following the index date using a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results

The study included 24,767 patients (535 HCPro; 24,232 non-HCPro). HCPro patients had a greater frequency of initiation at a specialty pharmacy (66% vs. 56%; P < 0.001) and enrollment in AbbVie’s patient support program (71% vs. 51%; P < 0.001) as well as a lower copay for ADA ($206 vs. $265; P = 0.011). HCPro patients had a lower abandonment rate (6.4% vs. 13.9%; P < 0.001) and reduced days to prescription fill (7.0 vs. 14.4; P < 0.001). After controlling for baseline characteristics, abandonment odds were 43% lower for patients using HCPro (odds ratio = 0.57; P = 0.004).

Conclusion

Initiating ADA treatment with an online prescription management system (HCPro) significantly reduces the odds of abandonment and time to first prescription fill.

Funding

AbbVie Inc., Chicago, USA.

Patient Support Program Increased Medication Adherence with Lower Total Health Care Costs Despite Increased Drug Spending

BACKGROUND

The U.S. health care system is currently evolving from a volume-based care to a value-based care approach, which is in part supported by the introduction of patient support programs (PSP). For patients treated with adalimumab (ADA), the addition of a dedicated, trained nurse to the PSP (HUMIRA Complete, rolled out nationally in 2015) provides further emphasis on value-based care.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of the HUMIRA Complete PSP, including the Nurse Ambassador component, in a real-world setting for patients receiving ADA across a broad range of approved indications (rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis, and hidradenitis suppurativa).

METHODS

A longitudinal retrospective study was conducted using patient-level data from the HUMIRA Complete PSP data linked to the real-world, patient-level Symphony Health Solutions administrative claims database. Commercially insured patients were included who were aged ≥ 18 years with ≥ 2 diagnoses of an indicated disease who were biologically naive before initiating ADA or who had no claims for synthetic-targeted immune modulator therapy before their earliest ADA claim in the database between January 2015 and February 2017. The first claim had to have occurred in 2015 or later, and continuous medical and drug data coverage were required for ≥ 6 months before and ≥ 12 months after the first ADA claim and index date. PSP patients (with at least an initial and follow-up dedicated nurse call) were matched 1:1 to non-PSP patients based on pharmacy type, indication, and propensity score, estimated with covariates for age, sex, year of first ADA use, and baseline comorbidities. Adherence to ADA was compared using proportion of days covered along with discontinuation of ADA, defined as a gap in treatment greater than the previous days supply with no additional ADA claim, total costs, medical costs, and drug costs (2017 U.S. dollars) over 12 months. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized descriptively. Differences between cohorts were assessed using t-tests for adherence and costs and log-rank tests for discontinuation.

RESULTS

2,268 patients (1,134 per group) were included. Baseline characteristics were similar between cohorts after matching. Participation in the PSP was associated with 29.3% higher ADA adherence (64.8% vs. 50.1%; P < 0.0001) and 22.0% lower ADA discontinuation rate (51.4% vs. 65.9%; P < 0.0001). Disease-related medical costs and all-cause medical costs were significantly lower by 35% ($10,162 vs. $15,511; P = 0.005) and 29.2% ($25,074 vs. $35,419; P = 0.0004), respectively, for PSP versus non-PSP patients. Total costs were also lower by 9% ($62,421 vs. $68,706; P = 0.056), and drug costs were 12.2% higher ($37,347 vs. $33,287; P = 0.0016).

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study demonstrates that participation in the PSP augments value-based care by improving outcomes for patients with chronic diseases by helping them not only manage a complex treatment regimen but also lower annual health care costs.

DISCLOSURES

Design, study conduct, and financial support for this study were provided by AbbVie. AbbVie participated in the interpretation of data, review, and approval of the manuscript; all authors contributed to the development of the publication and maintained control over the final content. Brixner reports consulting fees from AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Becton Dickinson, Millcreek Outcomes Group, Sanofi, and UCB Pharma. Rubin reports consulting fees from AbbVie, Abgenomics, Allergan, Forward Pharma, Genentech/Roche, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Napo Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Shire, Takeda, and Target Pharmaceuticals and research support from AbbVie, Genentech/Roche, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Prometheus Laboratories, Shire, and Takeda. Mease reports grant/research support from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Genentech, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN Pharma, and UCB; consulting fees from AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Genentech, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN Pharma, and UCB; and served on the speakers bureaus for AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Genentech, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB. Mittal and Ganguli are employees and stockholders of AbbVie. Liu has no financial conflict of interest. Davis is an employee of Medicus Economics, which reports payment from AbbVie to participate in this research. Fendrick reports personal fees from Merck, AstraZeneca, Trizetto, Amgen, Lilly, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi; grants from the National Pharmaceutical Council, PhRMA, the Gary and Mary West Health Foundation, the states of New York and Michigan, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; and has equity in Zansors, Sempre Health, Wellth, and V-BID Health. Data from this study were presented in part at the Academy of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting; April 25, 2018; Boston, MA.

Adherence, Persistence, and Expenditures for High-Cost Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Exploratory Study

BACKGROUND

Drugs for inflammatory conditions are one of the highest expenditure therapeutic classes for health plans. Published literature for adherence, persistence, nonadherence risk factors, and health care costs are incomplete for newer biologic agents.

OBJECTIVES

To (a) examine differences in adherence, persistence, switch patterns, and health care costs among high-cost specialty anti-inflammatory medications and (b) suggest risk factors for nonadherence in rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODS

In this exploratory retrospective cohort study, we used medical and pharmacy claims from 1.2 million enrollees in commercial health plans administrated by Premera Blue Cross, the largest not-for-profit health plan in the Pacific Northwest. We included members with rheumatoid arthritis who used the following high-cost disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, apremilast, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab, sekukinumab, tocilizumab, tofacitinib, and ustekinumab. Adherence was calculated via medication possession ratio. Persistence was calculated as the amount of days between the initial fill and final fill plus days supply. Switch rates for adalimumab and etanercept were calculated as the percentage of members who switched to another target drug during the observation period. Direct medical costs (total health care costs) and health care costs excluding specialty agents were calculated using the net allowable amount per claim for the duration of each therapy. Adherence, persistence, and costs of care were also examined for concurrent methotrexate use for the most used target drugs.

RESULTS

The most commonly used drugs were abatacept (n = 47), adalimumab (n = 226), and etanercept (n = 252). Nonadherence in certain subgroups was associated with higher mean monthly health care costs, excluding specialty agents (etanercept cohort: +$1,063 for nonmethotrexate users; +$492 for nonadherent methotrexate users), but adherence was associated with higher total health care costs (+$883 for etanercept). Relative to specialty pharmacies, retail was associated with 9% higher nonadherence. Concurrent methotrexate use was associated with higher persistence (+307 and +192 days with adalimumab and etanercept). The most commonly switched-to drug after adalimumab/etanercept was abatacept (n = 39).

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory study raises signals suggesting that retail pharmacies may be associated with higher nonadherence; nonadherence may be associated with increased health care costs, excluding specialty agents; adherence may increase total health care costs; and methotrexate use may be associated with increased persistence. Future research should confirm these findings.

DISCLOSURES

This research was part of an internship awarded to Khilfeh by the AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Summer Internship Program and funded by Pfizer. Gross is an employee of Pfizer. The other authors have nothing to disclose. A portion of this research was presented at the AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting as a continuing education session entitled "The Evolving Role of Real-World Data in Health Care Decision Making" on March 29, 2017, in Denver, CO, and at AMCP Nexus 2016 as a poster on October 3-6, 2016, in National Harbor, MD.

Effect of patient education on medication adherence of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

There is a general understanding that patient educational interventions for enhancing medication adherence are important. However, their success at improving adherence is debatable. This study aimed to assess the influence of different modes of patient education on medication adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and twenty RA patients with non-adherence, defined as pill count ≥80% or medication-taking behavior questionnaire for Thai patient ≥23, were randomized by block randomization and assigned in a 1:1 allocation ratio to two study arms: multi-component intervention group or single intervention group. The multi-component intervention group received 30-minute directed counseling and a disease information pamphlet. The single intervention group received only a disease information pamphlet. The primary outcomes were an improvement in an adherence rate measured by pill count after 12 weeks. The Thai Clinical Trial Registry number is TCTR20171207003.

RESULTS

After 12 weeks, the pill count adherence rate increased significantly from baseline in both study groups. In the multi-component intervention group, adherence rate increased from 92.21±14.05 to 97.59±10.07 (P=0.002) and in the single intervention group, it increased from 88.60±19.66 to 92.42±14.27 (P=0.044). However, the mean difference between the multi-component intervention group and the single intervention group was not significant (5.38±12.90 vs 3.18±14.23, P=0.531). Clinical outcomes, including disease activity score 28, EuroQoL-5D, EuroQol visual analog scale, pain score, and physician global assessment were unchanged from baseline in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Patient education significantly improved adherence. However, there were no differences between single education intervention and multi-component education intervention in improving medication adherence. Provision of a disease information pamphlet with or without directed counseling can equally enhance medication adherence of patients with RA.

Participation in an innovative patient support program reduces prescription abandonment for adalimumab-treated patients in a commercial population

PURPOSE

Nonadherence to indicated therapy reduces treatment effectiveness and may increase cost of care. HUMIRA Complete, a Patient Support Program (PSP), aims to reduce nonadherence in patients prescribed adalimumab (ADA). The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between participation in the PSP and prescription abandonment rates among ADA-treated patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This longitudinal study using patient-level data from AbbVie's PSP linked with medical and pharmacy claims data included patients ≥18 years with an ADA-approved indication, ≥1 pharmacy claim for ADA, and available data ≥3 months before and ≥6 months after the index date (defined as the initial ADA claim [01/2015 to 02/2017]). Abandonment was defined as reversal of initial ADA prescription with no paid claim during 3-month follow-up. Abandonment rates were compared between PSP and non-PSP cohorts using multivariable logistic regression controlling for potentially confounding baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

In 17,371 patients (9,851 PSP; 7,520 non-PSP), the overall abandonment rate was 10.8-16.8% across indications. The odds of ADA abandonment were 70% less for PSP vs non-PSP patients (5.6% vs 20.4%, odds ratio [OR]=0.30, [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.27-0.33] P<0.001), 38% less for patients using specialty vs retail pharmacy (OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.56-0.69, P<0.001), 20% less for those with income of $50-99K vs $0-49K (OR=0.80, 95% CI=0.69-0.92, P<0.01), and 78% greater for those with copayment of $26-100 vs $0-25 (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.55-2.05, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Participation in the PSP, higher income, and using a specialty pharmacy were associated with lower odds of abandoning ADA therapy, whereas increased copayments were associated with greater abandonment. PSPs should be considered to improve initiation of ADA therapy.

Unmet Needs in the Treatment of RA in the Era of Jak-i: IDRA (Italian Delphi Rheumatoid Arthritis) Consensus

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common autoimmune arthritis in adult population. This disease is characterized by joint damage and systemic involvement that lead to general physical and mental impairment with consequent worsening of quality of life. Rheumatoid arthritis is also associated with a large economic burden to healthcare systems. The evidence from the literature indicates that, despite available treatments, several unmet needs still interfere with rheumatoid arthritis management. Based on this evidence, some of the unmet medical needs currently present in the management of the rheumatoid arthritis were identified and a Delphi questionnaire was submitted to 60 Italian Rheumatologists. The aim of this Delphi was to achieve a broad consensus on the most relevant unmet needs identified, in order to present the Italian reality in view of the availability of new molecules that could provide an effective therapeutic option in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The new landscape of medication adherence improvement: where population health science meets precision medicine

Despite the known health and economic benefits of medications, nonadherence remains a significant, yet entirely preventable public health burden. Over decades, there have been numerous research studies evaluating health interventions and policy efforts aimed at improving adherence, yet no universal or consistently high impact solutions have been identified. At present, new challenges and opportunities in policy and the movement toward value-based care should foster an environment that appreciates adherence as a mechanism to improve health outcomes and control costs (eg, fewer hospitalizations, reduced health care utilization). Our objective was to provide a commentary on recent changes in the landscape of research and health policy directed toward improving adherence and an actionable agenda to achieve system level savings and improved health by harnessing the benefits of medications. Specifically, we address the complementary perspectives of precision medicine and population health management; integrating data sources to develop innovative measurement of adherence and target adherence interventions; and behavioral economics to determine appropriate incentives.

Factors associated with physicians' prescriptions for rheumatoid arthritis drugs not filled by patients

Background

This study estimated the extent and predictors of primary nonadherence (i.e., prescriptions made by physicians but not initiated by patients) to methotrexate and to biologics or tofacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who were newly prescribed these medications.

Methods

Using administrative claims linked with electronic health records (EHRs) from multiple healthcare provider organizations in the USA, RA patients who received a new prescription for methotrexate or biologics/tofacitinib were identified from EHRs. Claims data were used to ascertain filling or administration status. A logistic regression model for predicting primary nonadherence was developed and tested in training and test samples. Predictors were selected based on clinical judgment and LASSO logistic regression.

Results

A total of 36.8% of patients newly prescribed methotrexate failed to initiate methotrexate within 2 months; 40.6% of patients newly prescribed biologics/tofacitinib failed to initiate within 3 months. Factors associated with methotrexate primary nonadherence included age, race, region, body mass index, count of active drug ingredients, and certain previously diagnosed and treated conditions at baseline. Factors associated with biologics/tofacitinib primary nonadherence included age, insurance, and certain previously treated conditions at baseline. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the logistic regression model estimated in the training sample and applied to the independent test sample was 0.86 and 0.78 for predicting primary nonadherence to methotrexate and to biologics/tofacitinib, respectively.

Conclusions

This study confirmed that failure to initiate new prescriptions for methotrexate and biologics/tofacitinib was common in RA patients. It is feasible to predict patients at high risk of primary nonadherence to methotrexate and to biologics/tofacitinib and to target such patients for early interventions to promote adherence.

Evaluation of Real-World Experience with Tofacitinib Compared with Adalimumab, Etanercept, and Abatacept in RA Patients with 1 Previous Biologic DMARD: Data from a U.S. Administrative Claims Database

BACKGROUND

Real-world data comparing tofacitinib with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are limited.

OBJECTIVE

To compare characteristics, treatment patterns, and costs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving tofacitinib versus the most common bDMARDs (adalimumab [ADA], etanercept [ETN], and abatacept [ABA]) following a single bDMARD in a U.S. administrative claims database.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients aged ≥ 18 years with an RA diagnosis (ICD-9-CM codes 714.0x-714.4x; 714.81) and 1 previous bDMARD filling ≥ 1 tofacitinib or bDMARD claim in the Truven MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental claims databases (November 1, 2012-October 31, 2014). Monotherapy was defined as absence of conventional synthetic DMARDs within 90 days post-index. Persistence was evaluated using a 60-day gap. Adherence was assessed using proportion of days covered (PDC). RA-related total, pharmacy, and medical costs were evaluated in the 12-month pre- and post-index periods. Treatment patterns and costs were adjusted using linear models including a common set of clinically relevant variables of interest (e.g., previous RA treatments), which were assessed separately using t-tests and chi-squared tests.

RESULTS

Overall, 392 patients initiated tofacitinib; 178 patients initiated ADA; 118 patients initiated ETN; and 191 patients initiated ABA. Tofacitinib patients were older versus ADA patients (P = 0.0153) and had a lower proportion of Medicare supplemental patients versus ABA patients (P = 0.0095). Twelve-month pre-index bDMARD use was greater in tofacitinib patients (77.6%) versus bDMARD cohorts (47.6%-59.6%). Tofacitinib patients had greater 12-month pre-index RA-related total costs versus bDMARD cohorts (all P < 0.0001) and greatest index use of monotherapy (P = 0.0080 vs. ABA). A similar (all P > 0.10) proportion of patients were persistent with tofacitinib (42.6%) versus ADA (37.6%), ETN (42.4%), and ABA (43.5%). Mean PDC was 0.55 for tofacitinib versus 0.57 (ADA), 0.59 (ETN), and 0.44 (ABA; P = 0.0003). Adjusted analyses generated similar findings to the unadjusted treatment patterns. Tofacitinib had lower adjusted 12-month post-index mean RA-related total costs ($23,568) versus ADA ($29,278; P < 0.0001), ETN ($26,885; P = 0.0248), and ABA ($30,477; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, tofacitinib was more commonly used as monotherapy and yielded at least comparable persistence and adherence with lower adjusted mean RA-related total costs versus ADA, ETN, and ABA. Further analysis is warranted given the greater 12-month pre-index bDMARD use and RA-related costs for tofacitinib versus bDMARDs.

DISCLOSURES

This study was sponsored by Pfizer. Harnett, Gerber, Gruben, Koenig, and Chen are employees and shareholders of Pfizer. Some data reported in this manuscript have been previously presented at the Academy of Managed Care Nexus 2015; Orlando, Florida; October 26-29, 2015, and was submitted in abstract form to the European League Against Rheumatism Congress; London, United Kingdom; June 8-11, 2016. All authors were involved in the conception and design of this study. Harnett and Gruben were involved in data collection and analysis. All authors interpreted the data, critically reviewed and revised the manuscript, and read and approved the final manuscript.