A comparison of GOLD 2019 and 2023 recommendations to contemporaneous real-world inhaler treatment patterns for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management in Singapore.

Background: In 2019 and 2023, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) provided updated strategies for modifying the therapy of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and high exacerbation risk. A key update since the 2019 guidelines recommends considering blood eosinophil count to guide decisions on inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment. To evaluate the potential impact of these updated recommendations, this study aimed to assess how extensively future practice would diverge from contemporaneous prescribing practices at a single center in Singapore, assuming adherence to the 2019 and 2023 GOLD guidelines. Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of the Changi General Hospital COPD data warehouse involving patients aged ≥40 years hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation (October 2018-April 2020) receiving long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), LAMA plus a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA), or an ICS plus LABA at admission. The proportion of patients eligible for treatment escalations per GOLD 2019 and 2023 recommendations was calculated. Results: In total, 268 patients were included (mean age 73 years; 91% male). At admission, 19%, 59%, and 22% of patients were receiving LAMA, LAMA + LABA, and ICS + LABA, respectively. Overall, 226 patients would have been eligible for treatment escalation per GOLD 2019 or 2023 recommendations; 31 (13.7%) had treatment escalations consistent with GOLD 2019 guidelines and 34 (15%) received treatment escalations consistent with GOLD 2023 guidelines. A total of 205 patients (76.5%) remained on the same treatment regimen at hospital discharge as they were receiving at admission. Lower measured post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second was associated with treatment escalations that would have been GOLD-concordant (P=0.028), as was increased number of emergency department/hospital visits in the last year (P=0.048). Conclusions: Compared with real-world clinical practice, a significantly higher proportion of patients may be eligible for treatment escalation under the GOLD 2019 and 2023 eosinophil-directed algorithms.

Clinical characteristics and healthcare resource utilization in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant cause of mortality, with its prevalence projected to rise in Asia. The primary objective of this study was to describe clinical characteristics, maintenance treatment, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with COPD in Hong Kong. Secondary objectives were to assess patient demographics and clinical characteristics by eosinophil (EOS) levels, and compare the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of patients on multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT). METHODS: This study analyzed a cohort of patients with COPD who had entered a previously initiated prospective cohort study involving patients with COPD and/or asthma at the Prince of Wales Hospital between 2017 and 2019. RESULTS: Patients with COPD were enrolled (N = 220, mean age 74.3 years, 97 % male). Twelve months prior to baseline assessment, 66 % of patients were on MITT, 17 % on long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs)/long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs), and 7 % on inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)/LABA. Compared with ICS/LABA or LAMA/LABA, more patients on MITT experienced ≥1 exacerbation (26.7 %, 10.5 %, 39.7 %, respectively). Patients on MITT also had a higher mean (SD) COPD Assessment Test score (9.4 [5.9]) and modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale score (1.7 [0.7]) and incurred the most COPD-related and total HCRU costs. Compared with patients with EOS ≤300 cells/µL, those with EOS >300 cells/µL had a higher number of exacerbations. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD in Hong Kong treated with MITT presented more severe disease profiles and incurred higher costs. These data can be used for decision making in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD in Hong Kong.

Predictors of Organ Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the Asia Pacific Region: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Irreversible organ damage is common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite evidence of increased prevalence and severity of SLE in Asia Pacific, organ damage is less well studied in this region. This systematic review aims to identify predictors of organ damage in SLE in the Asia Pacific region. METHODS: We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for observational studies on organ damage in adult patients with SLE in Asia Pacific from August 31, to September 5, 2022. Study selection and data extraction were completed by two independent reviewers using Covidence systematic review software. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Significant results from univariable and multivariable analyses were synthesized from included studies. RESULTS: Thirty-eight eligible studies were selected from 1999 to 2022; 22 (58%) of these reported organ damage at study enrollment and 19 (50%) reported damage accrual, as measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinic/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index. Factors predictive of organ damage included older age, glucocorticoid use, longer disease duration, and disease activity. Lupus nephritis was a risk factor for renal and overall damage accrual. Hydroxychloroquine was protective against overall organ damage. CONCLUSION: Predictors of organ damage in SLE in Asia Pacific are similar to other regions. Although glucocorticoid use is a modifiable risk factor for organ damage, the impact of immunosuppressives and biologic therapies needs further investigation. Effective strategies in early disease are needed to minimize initial organ damage as it predicts subsequent damage accrual.

Year-to-year trajectories of hospital utilisation rates among patients with COPD: a real-world, single-centre, retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The long-term clinical trajectory of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of year-to-year hospital utilisation rates can be highly variable and is not well studied. We investigated year-to-year trends of hospitalisation or emergency department (ED) visits among patients with COPD over 3 years, identified distinct trajectories and examined associated predictive factors. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Data were extracted from the Changi General Hospital, Singapore COPD data warehouse. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with COPD aged ≥40 years with 3 years of follow-up data. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The yearly rates of hospitalisations or ED visits, stratified by COPD-related or all-cause, were described. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify clinically distinct trajectories year-by-year. Baseline predictive factors associated with different trajectories were examined. RESULTS: In total, 396 patients were analysed (median age 70 years; 87% male). Four trajectories were generated for year-to-year trends in COPD-related hospitalisations/ED visits (C1-C4: consistently frequent, consistently infrequent, improving and worsening); post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was a significant predictor of trajectory, with worse lung function being the main factor associated with less favourable trajectories. For all-cause hospitalisations/ED visits, four trajectories were identified (A1-A4: infrequent and stable, frequent and stable, frequent and decreasing, frequent and increasing); significant differences in age (p=0.041), sex (p=0.016) and ethnicity (p=0.005) were found between trajectories. Higher overall comorbidity burden was a key determinant in less favourable trajectories of all-cause hospitalisations/ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct trajectories were demonstrated for hospitalisations/ED visits related to COPD or all causes, with predictive associations between FEV1 and COPD trajectory and between comorbidities and all-cause trajectory. Trajectories carry nuanced prognostic information and may be useful for clinical risk stratification to identify high-risk individuals for preventative treatments.

Development of a real-world database for asthma and COPD: The SingHealth-Duke-NUS-GSK COPD and Asthma Real-World Evidence (SDG-CARE) collaboration.

PURPOSE: The SingHealth-Duke-GlaxoSmithKline COPD and Asthma Real-world Evidence (SDG-CARE) collaboration was formed to accelerate the use of Singaporean real-world evidence in research and clinical care. A centerpiece of the collaboration was to develop a near real-time database from clinical and operational data sources to inform healthcare decision making and research studies on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Our multidisciplinary team, including clinicians, epidemiologists, data scientists, medical informaticians and IT engineers, adopted the hybrid waterfall-agile project management methodology to develop the SingHealth COPD and Asthma Data Mart (SCDM). The SCDM was developed within the organizational data warehouse. It pulls and maps data from various information systems using extract, transform and load (ETL) pipelines. Robust user testing and data verification was also performed to ensure that the business requirements were met and that the ETL pipelines were valid. RESULTS: The SCDM includes 199 data elements relevant to asthma and COPD. Data verification was performed and found the SCDM to be reliable. As of December 31, 2019, the SCDM contained 36,407 unique patients with asthma and COPD across the spectrum from primary to tertiary care in our healthcare system. The database updates weekly to add new data of existing patients and to include new patients who fulfil the inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The SCDM was systematically developed and tested to support the use RWD for clinical and health services research in asthma and COPD. This can serve as a platform to provide research and operational insights to improve the care delivered to our patients.

Treatment patterns and cost of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using multiple inhaler triple therapy in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Multiple inhaler triple therapy (MITT), comprising inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), long-acting beta-agonists (LABA), and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA), has been used as an escalation treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, real-world use of MITT has not been investigated in Asia, including South Korea. This study reports baseline characteristics of patients with COPD initiated on MITT in South Korea, and their treatment patterns. Healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs associated with COPD exacerbations following MITT initiation were also assessed. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using the South Korea National Health Insurance database (2014-2018). Included patients were ≥ 40 years, had a COPD diagnosis, were newly initiated on MITT and had ≥ 12 months' data both before (baseline) and after index date (the first day with overlapping supply of all MITT components). Treatment immediately before initiation and immediately following discontinuation of MITT were identified, and proportion of days covered (PDC) by MITT was calculated. HRU and costs (per person per year [PPPY]) associated with exacerbations were identified following MITT initiation; costs were calculated using the average 2020 exchange rate (0.0008 USD/KRW). RESULTS: Among 37,400 patients, the mean age was 69 (SD 10) years and 73% were males; 56% had ≥ 1 COPD exacerbation during the baseline period, with a mean of 2 (SD 5) events/year. ICS/LABA was the most frequent regimen prescribed immediately before initiation (37%) and immediately following discontinuation (41% of 34,264 patients) of MITT. At 3, 6, and 12 months from treatment initiation, mean PDC was 81%, 63% and 49%, respectively; median treatment duration was 102 days. The mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) number of total visits for severe COPD exacerbations was 0.77 PPPY (0.75-0.78); mean PPPY total healthcare costs were 2093 USD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD in South Korea experienced frequent exacerbations prior to MITT, and PDC by MITT was low. Patients may benefit from early optimization of COPD therapy, and greater emphasis on adherence to inhaled COPD therapy. Severe exacerbations were found to incur substantial costs; treatment alternatives that can reduce the rate of severe exacerbations are likely to minimize healthcare costs.

Characteristics of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treated with Long-Acting Bronchodilators in a Real-World Setting in Singapore: A Single-Center Observational Study.

Introduction: There is limited real-world evidence regarding clinical practice for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Singapore. We compared baseline clinical characteristics and evaluated outcomes in patients with COPD who initiated treatment with either a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) or a LAMA and a long-acting ß2-agonist (LAMA+LABA). Methods: This was a single-center observational study at Changi General Hospital, Singapore. Routine clinical data (hospital visits, case management, lung function, laboratory/imaging results, medication orders) were collected and compiled into a data warehouse. Eligible patients with COPD were ≥40 years old and newly prescribed LAMA or LAMA+LABA during the enrollment period. Patient characteristics in the baseline period (6 months) were compared between treatments. Clinical worsening was measured as a composite endpoint, defined as the first of a change in maintenance treatment class or a moderate-to-severe exacerbation during follow-up (12 months). Results: In total, 261 patients were included in the baseline period (LAMA: 73; LAMA+LABA: 188). In the baseline period, patients receiving LAMA+LABA versus LAMA had significantly lower body mass index, higher COPD Assessment Test score and worse lung function, and numerically higher exacerbation history. Prevalence of comorbidities was similar between treatment groups. In follow-up, high rates of clinical worsening were observed regardless of treatment regimen (LAMA: 38/73 [52%]; LAMA+LABA: 86/188 [46%]). Median time-to-clinical worsening was 340 days for the LAMA cohort and the raw median 154 days (interquartile range: 44-225) for the LAMA+LABA cohort. Median medication dispensation rate (0.86; interquartile range: 0.56-1.00) was similar between treatments. Conclusion: Patients initiating treatment with LAMA+LABA had more severe COPD than patients prescribed LAMA. The proportion of patients experiencing clinical worsening was similarly high in both cohorts, suggesting that early identification and treatment optimization are necessary.

A Real-World Analysis of Treatment Patterns and Clinical Characteristics Among Patients with COPD Who Initiated Multiple-Inhaler Triple Therapy in New Zealand.

Purpose: Real-world data on maintenance treatment and prescription patterns provide insights into healthcare management among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which benefits our understanding of current COPD treatment patterns in New Zealand. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed real-world data from the HealthStat general practice database to evaluate treatment patterns among patients with COPD in New Zealand who initiated multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT): inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) + long-acting muscarinic antagonist + long-acting ß2-agonist (LABA). Our main objective described treatment patterns (class, duration, modification, persistence, and adherence) and characteristics of patients with COPD initiating MITT between 1 May 2016 and 30 April 2017, with 12-months' follow-up. We also assessed the number of patients receiving MITT between 2015 and 2017, among a larger patient population receiving long-acting bronchodilator and ICS-containing therapies. Results: Of 6249 eligible patients, 421 (mean age 67.3 years; mean number exacerbations at baseline 1.8) initiated MITT: 59.1% received combination ICS/LABA therapy prior to MITT initiation, and median treatment duration prior to MITT initiation was 350 days. Overall, 33.5% of patients remained on index treatment for 12 months. Of the remaining patients who modified treatment (on average at 144.4 days), those who had a direct switch (24.9%) or retreatment (13.5%) remained on MITT, 19.7% of patients stepped down to mono/dual therapy, and 8.3% discontinued treatment. Mean (standard deviation) persistence to any MITT over 12 months was 47.3 (50.0), and 53.4% of patients were considered adherent to MITT. Total proportions of patients receiving long-acting bronchodilator therapy and MITT increased between 2015 and 2017. Conclusion: Most patients with COPD in New Zealand who initiated MITT had characteristics appropriate for triple therapy prescription, suggesting prescription behavior among general practitioners was largely consistent with treatment guidelines. Our findings may help optimize treatment decisions, with a focus on improving long-term triple therapy persistence and adherence.

Long-Acting Bronchodilator Use in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Primary Care in New Zealand: A Retrospective Study of Treatment Patterns and Evolution Using the HealthStat Database.

PURPOSE: Long-acting bronchodilator (LABD) use is the mainstay of pharmacologic treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Few studies describe evolving patterns of LABD use in the setting of changing inhaler availability and updated clinical guidelines. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study in New Zealand using the HealthStat general practice database (01/2014 to 04/2018). Eligible patients (aged ≥40 years) had COPD and ≥1 LABD prescription (long-acting muscarinic antagonist [LAMA] and/or long-acting ß2-agonist [LABA]) during the index period (05/2015 to 04/2016). Demographics and clinical characteristics of all LABD users (overall/by treatment) were described at baseline. Patients starting LABD treatment during the index period, termed "new" users, were also described, as was their treatment evolution over 24 months of follow-up. Yearly LABD initiation rates were assessed from 2015 to 2017, covering changes to Pharmaceutical Management Agency criteria and clinical guidelines. RESULTS: Across 2140 eligible patients, the most common index treatments were inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/LABA (59.0%) and open triple therapy (LAMA+LABA+ICS; 26.7%). ICS/LABA therapy was highest in younger patients, with open triple therapy highest in older patients. Prior yearly exacerbation rates were lowest in those receiving monotherapy (LABA: 0.9/year; LAMA: 1.1/year) versus dual therapy (all 1.4/year) and open triple therapy (2.2/year). Of 312 new LABD users, ICS/LABA was the most common index treatment (69.6%), followed by LAMA monotherapy (16.0%). Continuous use with index treatment was 31.1% at 12 months and 13.5% at 24 months; mean time to treatment change was 175.5 and 244.1 days, respectively. Among patients modifying treatment at 24 months, 23.0% augmented, 7.0% switched, 45.6% re-started, and 24.4% discontinued/stepped down. Among patients initiating LABD each year from 2015 to 2017, LAMA prescription increased (17% to 46%) while ICS prescription remained stable (approximately 20%). CONCLUSION: Predominant use of ICS/LABA (05/2015 to 04/2016) reflects available LABDs and previous restrictions on LAMA use in New Zealand.

Incidence of cardiovascular diseases and type-2-diabetes mellitus in patients with psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type-2-diabetes in patients with psychiatric disorders. METHODS: A population-based study was conducted using the Swedish national health registries. Patients were identified from the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in 20 primary care centers and were categorized in four diagnosis cohorts according to their first psychiatric diagnosis: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, or other mood disorder. A control cohort of patients with no psychiatric disorders followed in the same primary care centers was also identified. Incident CVD and type-2-diabetes were defined as the presence of a diagnosis of CVD or diabetes during the follow-up period in patients without prior event. RESULTS: The age and sex standardized incidence rate of CVD was 13.5 per 1000 patient-year in the patients with any psychiatric disorder versus 6.3 per 1000 patient-year in the controls. A similar trend was observed for incident diabetes (5.7 versus 3.4 per 1000 patient-year, respectively). The bipolar disorder and the schizophrenia cohorts showed the highest standardized incidence rates. CONCLUSION: Incidence of CVD and to a lesser extent type-2-diabetes was particularly high in patients with psychiatric disorders. This carries strong clinical implications for the prevention of CVD and type-2-diabetes in these patients.

Functional impairment in patients with major depressive disorder: the 2-year PERFORM study.

BACKGROUND: The Prospective Epidemiological Research on Functioning Outcomes Related to Major depressive disorder (PERFORM) study describes the course of depressive symptoms, perceived cognitive symptoms, and functional impairment over 2 years in outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and investigates the patient-related factors associated with functional impairment. METHODS: This was a 2-year observational study in 1,159 outpatients with MDD aged 18-65 years who were either initiating antidepressant monotherapy or undergoing their first switch of antidepressant. Functional impairment was assessed by the Sheehan Disability Scale and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Patients assessed depression severity using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire and severity of perceived cognitive symptoms using the five-item Perceived Deficit Questionnaire. To investigate which patient-related factors were associated with functional impairment, univariate analyses of variance were performed to identify relevant factors that were then included in multivariate analyses of covariance at baseline, month 2, months 6 and 12 combined, and months 18 and 24 combined. RESULTS: The greatest improvement in depressive symptoms, perceived cognitive symptoms, and functional impairment was seen immediately (within 2 months) following initiation or switch of antidepressant therapy, followed by more gradual improvement and long-term stabilization. Improvement in perceived cognitive symptoms was less marked than improvement in depressive symptoms during the acute treatment phase. Functional impairment in patients with MDD was not only associated with severity of depressive symptoms but also independently associated with severity of perceived cognitive symptoms when adjusted for depression severity throughout the 2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the burden of functional impairment in MDD and the importance of recognizing and managing cognitive symptoms in daily practice.

Predictors of care home and hospital admissions and their costs for older people with Alzheimer's disease: findings from a large London case register.

OBJECTIVES: To examine links between clinical and other characteristics of people with Alzheimer's disease living in the community, likelihood of care home or hospital admission, and associated costs. DESIGN: Observational data extracted from clinical records using natural language processing and Hospital Episode Statistics. Statistical analyses examined effects of cognition, physical health, mental health, sociodemographic factors and living circumstances on risk of admission to care home or hospital over 6 months and associated costs, adjusting for repeated observations. SETTING: Catchment area for South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, provider for 1.2 million people in Southeast London. PARTICIPANTS: Every individual with diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease seen and treated by mental health services in the catchment area, with at least one rating of cognition, not resident in care home at time of assessment (n=3075). INTERVENTIONS: Usual treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk of admission to, and days spent in three settings during 6-month period following routine clinical assessment: care home, mental health inpatient care and general hospital inpatient care. RESULTS: Predictors of probability of care home or hospital admission and/or associated costs over 6 months include cognition, functional problems, agitation, depression, physical illness, previous hospitalisations, age, gender, ethnicity, living alone and having a partner. Patterns of association differed considerably by destination. CONCLUSIONS: Most people with dementia prefer to remain in their own homes, and funding bodies see this as cheaper than institutionalisation. Better treatment in the community that reduces health and social care needs of Alzheimer's patients would reduce admission rates. Living alone, poor living circumstances and functional problems all raise admission rates, and so major cuts in social care budgets increase the risk of high-cost admissions which older people do not want. Routinely collected data can be used to reveal local patterns of admission and costs.

A cross-sectional study of functional disabilities and perceived cognitive dysfunction in patients with major depressive disorder in South Korea: The PERFORM-K study.

PERFORM-K was a cross-sectional observational study that investigated functional disability, productivity and quality of life in MDD outpatients in South Korea, and the associations of these with depressive symptoms, perceived cognitive dysfunction and other factors. A total of 312 outpatients who started antidepressant monotherapy underwent a single study interview. Physicians and patients assessed depression severity. Patients also assessed: perceived cognitive dysfunction, functional disability, impaired productivity and quality of life. Patients had moderate to severe depression (MADRS mean total score: 28.9±7.3), and reported marked functional disability (SDS mean total score: 16.7±8.6), impaired productivity (WPAI mean overall work productivity loss: 52.4±31.8%), perceived cognitive dysfunction (PDQ-D mean total score: 29.9±18.6) and impaired quality of life (EQ-5D mean utility index score of 0.726±0.192). Greater functional disability and impairment in daily activities were associated with more severe depression and greater perceived cognitive dysfunction. Irrespective of depression severity, patients with more severe perceived cognitive dysfunction reported worse work-related productivity outcomes (higher presenteeism and greater overall work productivity loss). PERFORM-K confirms the impact of MDD on functional status and well-being in South Korean patients, and highlights the importance of recognising cognitive dysfunction in clinical practice.

Cost-effectiveness of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine (extended release) in the treatment of major depressive disorder in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost-effectiveness of vortioxetine versus venlafaxine XR (extended-release) in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in South Korea. METHODS: A 1-year cost-effectiveness analysis from a limited societal perspective was performed using a combined model consisting of a decision-tree and a Markov model. Patients entered the model when initiating or switching antidepressant treatment following inadequate response to previous treatment. Remission, relapse and recovery were the main health states. RESULTS: Vortioxetine dominated venlafaxine XR, with quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gains of 0.0131 and cost savings of KRW 623,229/year [US$530/year] from a limited societal perspective. Safety contributed more than efficacy to the incremental QALY gains. More patients were in recovery after initial treatment and after 1 year with vortioxetine (31%, 40%) compared to venlafaxine XR (23%, 36%). Vortioxetine remained dominant in 98% of probabilistic simulations. CONCLUSION: Vortioxetine dominated venlafaxine XR in South Korea and is a relevant treatment option for MDD patients initiating or switching therapy.

Clinical management and associated costs for moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease in urban China: a Delphi panel study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare resource utilisation for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in China is not well understood. This Delphi panel study aimed to describe the clinical management pathways for moderate and severe AD patients in urban China and to define the amount and cost of healthcare resources used. METHODS: A panel of 11 experts was recruited from urban China to participate in two rounds of preparatory interviews. In the first round, 9 physicians specialised in dementia gave a qualitative description of the clinical management of AD patients. In the second round, 2 hospital administrators were asked about the cost of AD management and care. Results from the interviews were discussed by the experts in a Delphi panel meeting, where consensus was reached on quantitative aspects of AD management, including the rate of healthcare resource utilisation, the respective unit costs and caregiving time. RESULTS: Interviewees reported that mild AD is under-recognised in China; most patients are diagnosed with moderate to severe AD. Loss of independence and agitation/aggression are the main drivers for healthcare resource utilisation and contribute to a heavier caregiver burden. It was estimated that 70 % moderate AD patients are independent/non-aggressive at the time of diagnosis, 15 % are independent/aggressive, 10 % are dependent/non-aggressive, and 5 % are dependent/aggressive. Dependent/aggressive AD patients are more likely to be hospitalised (70-90 %) than accepted in a nursing home (0-20 %), while the opposite is true for dependent/non-aggressive patients (5-35 % for hospitalisation vs. 80 % for nursing home). Independent AD patients require 1-3 hours/day of caregiver time, while dependent patients can require up to 12-15 hours/day. Experts agreed that AD complicates the management of age-related comorbidities, found in 70-80 % of all AD patients, increasing the frequency and cost of hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi panel approach was an efficient method of gathering data about the amount of healthcare resources used and associated costs for moderate and severe AD patients in urban China. The results of this study provide a useful source of information for decision makers to improve future healthcare policies and resource planning, as well as to perform economic evaluations of AD therapies.

Depressed older adults may be less cared for than depressed younger ones.

The aim of the study was to investigate depression treatment use, either psychotherapy (PT) or antidepressant drugs (ADT) in the older and younger depressed population. Cohorts of 6316 elderly (≥65 year-old) and 25,264 matched non-elderly (25-64 year-old) depressed patients were created from a large national claims database of managed care plans from 2003 to 2006. Factors associated with ADT or PT were assessed using multivariate logistic models. During the 120 days following the depression diagnosis, the elderly persons were less often treated than the younger adults either by ADT (25.6% vs. 33.8%) or by PT (13.0% vs. 34.4%). ADT dispensing occurred later in the elderly group (51 vs. 14 days). ADT was associated with comorbid chronic conditions or polypharmacy in the elderly and younger adults. The selection of treatment (ADT or PT) was associated with the history of treated depression using the same type of treatment, in both groups. Thus, depression goes commonly untreated. Comorbidity was associated with higher ADT dispensing rates. However, although depressed elderly commonly presented with comorbidity, this age group was at higher risk of untreated illness or later treatment.

Memantine for treatment of moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease patients in urban China: clinical and economic outcomes from a health economic model.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the clinical and economic benefits of memantine treatment initiated in moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) in China, compared with initiation in severe AD only. METHODS: A Markov model with a 5-year time horizon simulated moderate patients' progression through health states. Two groups were compared: patients receiving memantine from the moderate stage (i.e., at model entry), continuing treatment when reaching the severe stage; patients initiating memantine only when they developed severe disease. RESULTS: After 5 years, fewer patients receiving memantine from the moderate stage were severe (49%), dependent (59%) or aggressive (47%) compared with moderate patients who initiated treatment from severe stage only (58, 67 and 55%, respectively). Total cost of care was lower for treatment from moderate stage (67 billion RMB) when compared with treatment from severe stage (73 billion RMB). CONCLUSIONS: In China, AD treatment with memantine from the moderate stage could result in substantial cost savings.

A review of accessibility of administrative healthcare databases in the Asia-Pacific region.

OBJECTIVE: We describe and compare the availability and accessibility of administrative healthcare databases (AHDB) in several Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Thailand, and Malaysia. METHODS: The study included hospital records, reimbursement databases, prescription databases, and data linkages. Databases were first identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and the ISPOR database register. Database custodians were contacted. Six criteria were used to assess the databases and provided the basis for a tool to categorise databases into seven levels ranging from least accessible (Level 1) to most accessible (Level 7). We also categorised overall data accessibility for each country as high, medium, or low based on accessibility of databases as well as the number of academic articles published using the databases. RESULTS: Fifty-four administrative databases were identified. Only a limited number of databases allowed access to raw data and were at Level 7 [Medical Data Vision EBM Provider, Japan Medical Data Centre (JMDC) Claims database and Nihon-Chouzai Pharmacy Claims database in Japan, and Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Centre for Health Record Linkage (CHeReL), HealthLinQ, Victorian Data Linkages (VDL), SA-NT DataLink in Australia]. At Levels 3-6 were several databases from Japan [Hamamatsu Medical University Database, Medi-Trend, Nihon University School of Medicine Clinical Data Warehouse (NUSM)], Australia [Western Australia Data Linkage (WADL)], Taiwan [National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD)], South Korea [Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)], and Malaysia [United Nations University (UNU)-Casemix]. Countries were categorised as having a high level of data accessibility (Australia, Taiwan, and Japan), medium level of accessibility (South Korea), or a low level of accessibility (Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Singapore). In some countries, data may be available but accessibility was restricted based on requirements by data custodians. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with previous research, this study describes the landscape of databases in the selected countries with more granularity using an assessment tool developed for this purpose. A high number of databases were identified but most had restricted access, preventing their potential use to support research. We hope that this study helps to improve the understanding of the AHDB landscape, increase data sharing and database research in Asia-Pacific countries.

Benzodiazepine discontinuation with prolonged-release melatonin: hints from a German longitudinal prescription database.

OBJECTIVE: Prolonged-release (PR) melatonin is approved in Europe for the treatment of insomnia in patients aged 55 years and above. The objective of the study was to describe its prescription patterns and its impact on hypnotics use in routine clinical practice. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study analyzing PR melatonin prescription data from a German longitudinal database (IMS(®) Disease Analyzer). All patients initiating PR melatonin over the 10 months after approval (April 2008 - February 2009) were included. Patients were classified according to their use of hypnotic benzodiazepines or benzodiazepine-like drugs (BZD/Z) in the 3-month period before and after PR melatonin initiation. RESULTS: Of the 512 eligible patients, 380 (74%) were aged ≥ 55 years, 344 (67%) women and 112 (22%) previous BZD/Z users. Most of the latter (79/99, 79.8%) had used BZD/Z for at least 180 days. Approximately one-third (35/112, 31%) discontinued BZD/Z after PR melatonin initiation, and the BZD/Z discontinuation rate was higher in patients receiving two or three PR melatonin prescriptions than in patients receiving only one prescription (10/24 = 42% vs 25/88 = 28%, p = 0.21). Of the 400 patients without prior BZD/Z use, 39 (10%) received BZD/Z during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the observed 31% discontinuation rate, PR melatonin may help to facilitate BZD/Z discontinuation in older insomniacs.

Comparing antidepressant treatment patterns in older and younger adults: a claims database analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare depressed older (≥65) and younger (25-64) adults with regard to antidepressant treatment patterns and to assess factors associated with 180-day nonpersistence. DESIGN: Retrospective matched cohort study. SETTING: U.S. managed care population. PARTICIPANTS: Older and matched younger adults diagnosed with depression and treated with antidepressants. MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, polypharmacy, and characteristics of antidepressant treatment at 180 days were compared between older and younger adults. Analyses were conducted before and after the implementation of Medicare Part D on January 1, 2006, to consider the effect of this policy. RESULTS: Few participants received psychotherapy, especially older ones; rates were constant before and after 2006. Before 2006, older adults more frequently received antidepressants at lower (odds ratio (OR)=5.38, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.57-8.13) or intermediate dose (OR=2.42, 95% CI=1.93-3.02) and had poorer adherence to treatment (P<.001) than younger adults. After 2006, older adults received similar proportions of intermediate or high antidepressant doses as younger adults, but a lower dosage was still more likely to be prescribed (OR=1.87, 95% CI=1.09-3.20) and had higher treatment adherence (P<.001). Medication profile did not significantly affect the risk of nonpersistence, but increased with lower antidepressant dose (P<.001). Whereas nonpersistence was higher in older adults before 2006 (hazard ratio (HR)=1.25, 95% CI=1.22-1.46), the trend reversed after 2006 (HR=0.76, 95% CI=0.66-0.88). CONCLUSION: More than half of participants with depression discontinued antidepressant treatment, and psychotherapy was rarely used. Implementation of Medicare Part D was associated with substantial changes in treatment of older adults with depression. The presence of comorbidities or polypharmacy was not associated with nonpersistence in depressed older adults.