Teni FS, Machado A, Fink K, Gyllensten H, Hillert J, Friberg E. Recent trends in disease-modifying therapy use and associated sickness absence and disability pension among people with multiple sclerosis in Sweden.
Mult Scler 2024;
30:419-431. [PMID:
38243631 PMCID:
PMC10935615 DOI:
10.1177/13524585231225929]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have led to improved health and work productivity among people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).
OBJECTIVES
To describe trajectories of recent DMT use and their association with sickness absence and/or disability pension (SADP) among PwMS in Sweden.
METHODS
A longitudinal register-based study was conducted among 1395 PwMS with treatment start in 2014/2015. While DMT use over 5 years was assessed using sequence analysis resulting in four clusters, a 7-year (Y-2 toY4) trend of SADP was analyzed using zero-inflated negative binomial regression.
RESULTS
Four clusters of DMT use trajectories were identified: long-term non-high-efficacy (483, 34.6%), long-term high-efficacy (572, 41%), escalation (221, 15.8%), and discontinuation (119, 8.5%). Progressive MS and higher expanded disability status scale scores were associated with the escalation, long-term high-efficacy, or discontinuation clusters. PwMS in the long-term high-efficacy and escalation clusters had higher likelihood of being on SADP. However, PwMS initiating high-efficacy DMTs demonstrated steeper decline in SADP than others.
CONCLUSION
Using sequence analysis, this study showed recent DMT use trajectories among PwMS where initiation of high-efficacy DMTs has become more common. The trend of SADP was stable and lower in those using non-high-efficacy DMTs and larger improvements were shown in those initiating high-efficacy DMTs.
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