Treatment patterns and characteristics of patients with migraine in Japan: A retrospective analysis of health insurance claims data.

OBJECTIVE: To describe treatment patterns of migraine patients in the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC) database. METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient migraine diagnoses, ≥1 outpatient diagnosis and ≥1 migraine-specific acute treatment (triptan or ergotamine), or ≥2 migraine-specific acute treatments from 1 May 2011 to 30 April 2014 were identified. Patients were required to be enrolled in a health plan for ≥1 year before and after the index date. The first migraine diagnosis or acute treatment defined the index date. Patients were stratified by the migraine treatments observed after the index date (i.e. migraine-specific acute treatment only [AT], prophylactic with or without migraine-specific acute treatment [PT], or no treatment [NT]) and described regarding the first migraine treatment regimen and subsequent treatment patterns during up to 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 16,443 patients met the eligibility criteria (9873 AT, 3022 PT, and 3548 NT). AT patients had mean (SD) 10.3 (20.5) acute treatment days during 1-year follow-up, and 81.9% received triptans. When assessing the first migraine treatment regimen during follow-up in PT patients, 29.2% received prophylactic treatment only and 51.7% received both acute and prophylactic treatment. Calcium-channel blockers with or without concomitant triptans (34.4%) were the most common first regimen. Approximately 62.2% discontinued initial prophylactic treatment after an average of 61.2 days (SD = 65.3) of persistent treatment. Among discontinuers, 15.2% reinitiated original treatment and 7.0% switched treatment post-discontinuation within a year, while the remaining patients did not receive prophylactic therapy following discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Among Japanese migraine patients, prophylactic use was low and associated with a high rate of discontinuation following a brief treatment period. Many patients reinitiated or switched treatment following discontinuation, while a significant proportion of patients remained discontinued from prophylactic therapy, suggesting a high unmet need.

Herpes Zoster Incidence and Burden in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes in the U.S.: A Retrospective Database Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Data on the real-world burden of herpes zoster (HZ) in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the U.S. are limited. We assessed HZ in patients with and without T2D and measured the impact of HZ on health care resource use (HCRU) and costs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis used U.S. commercial claims data (sourced from claims incurred between 1 January 2012 and 31 July 2018). HZ incidence rates/1,000 person-years (PYs) were calculated in patients with and without T2D. HZ risk was evaluated using Poisson regression to generate adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs). Patients with T2D with HZ were propensity score matched to patients with T2D only and to patients with HZ without T2D. HCRU and costs were compared across cohorts during a 1-year follow-up period. Cox proportional hazards analyses evaluated factors associated with HZ-related complications. RESULTS: Crude HZ incidence rates in patients with and without T2D were 9.8/1,000 PY and 2.6/1,000 PY, respectively. T2D patients were almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with HZ (aIRR 1.84; 95% CI 1.82-1.85). HZ was associated with increased HCRU and health care costs. At 12 months, unadjusted incremental all-cause health care costs for patients with T2D with HZ versus patients with T2D without HZ were $5,216. The unadjusted incremental HZ-related health care costs for patients with T2D with HZ versus patients with HZ without T2D were $2,726. Age was the most important predictor for HZ-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Given the increased risk of HZ and HCRU and cost burden in patients with T2D, HZ prevention in patients with T2D may be beneficial.

Stroke and transient ischemic attack in the long-term care setting: patient characteristics, medication treatment, and length of stay.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the percentage of patients treated with antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy among patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the long-term care setting. DESIGN: Data were taken from the Minimum Data Set. Information regarding medications was derived from a linked pharmacy-claims database. SETTING: Long-term care facilities. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Residents of long-term care facilities with stroke or TIA as indicated in the database between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2008, were selected; 14,469 patients with stroke and 833 patients with TIA were identified. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN STUDY VARIABLES: Demographics, admission and payer source, residential history, quality measures, comorbidities, and antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies received. RESULTS: Approximately 48% of stroke patients and 53% of TIA patients received any antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication. Stroke patients had a mean (standard deviation [SD]) of 19.5 (73.2) days from their first assessment to their first medication, and they received therapy for a mean (SD) of 112.3 (258.3) days. TIA patients had a mean (SD) of 13.7 (54.9) days from their first assessment to their first medication, and they received therapy for a mean (SD) of 67.0 (165.7) days. In both cohorts, clopidogrel was the most common therapy received (22.5% of stroke patients and 24.6% of TIA patients). CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers treating patients in the long-term care setting should be aware of the population characteristics and high rate of undertreatment observed in this analysis. This study may help inform optimal decision-making by physicians and other health care practitioners.

Corrigendum to: Longitudinal, Nationwide, Cohort Study to Assess Incidence, Outcomes, and Costs Associated With Complicated Urinary Tract Infection.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz446.].

Costs of herpes zoster complications in older adults: A cohort study of US claims database.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Herpes zoster (HZ) incidence increases with age, and the burden of HZ is expected to grow with aging of populations worldwide. We aim to determine the incremental healthcare resource utilization and associated costs of patients with common HZ-related complications other than postherpetic neuralgia (cutaneous, neurologic and ophthalmic) compared to uncomplicated HZ. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of commercial health insurance claims covering about 40 million immunocompetent individuals aged ≥50 years at study entry from all over the US, from 2008 to 2013, with follow-up for one year after HZ onset. All-cause healthcare resource utilization and direct healthcare costs were recorded and calculated from six months before until 12 months after HZ onset. The mean costs for HZ patients with complications were compared to the mean costs for patients with uncomplicated HZ. Multivariable regression analyses estimated mean incremental costs adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, type of complication and time period. RESULTS: Over the five-year study period, 22,948 HZ patients (60% women, median age 62 years) who experienced at least one of the selected complications were compared to 213,232 patients (63% women, median age 61 years) with uncomplicated HZ. Overall, the mean annual incremental unadjusted costs for the patients with HZ-related complications were US$4716, ranging from US$2173 for ophthalmic to US$18,323 for neurologic complications. Most of the incremental costs associated with HZ complications were accrued during the first quarter after HZ onset. For each complication type the incremental costs increased with age up to, but not including the oldest group, aged ≥80 years. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 10% of immunocompetent older patients with HZ develop complications which considerably increase the economic burden of HZ. Vaccination of older adults will offset some of the burden of HZ, including costs associated with HZ-related complications.

Cost of herpes zoster and herpes zoster-related complications among immunocompromised individuals.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a painful dermatomal rash caused by reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus. The incidence of HZ is increased for immunocompromised (IC) individuals. The objective of this study is to assess the healthcare costs incurred by IC individuals who develop HZ with or without associated complications. We conducted a retrospective case-control study across the US over a 5-year period, based on health insurance claims data for individuals aged ≥50 years identified as IC by disease or immunosuppressive treatment. A cohort of 30,107 IC individuals who experienced HZ was matched to a cohort of 113,875 IC individuals without HZ. Average all-cause healthcare costs over 18 months were calculated and compared between IC individuals with and without HZ. In addition, the costs of HZ in IC individuals with HZ-related complications were compared to the costs of those with uncomplicated HZ. During the year following HZ onset, IC individuals with HZ had on average total unadjusted costs that were US$3879 higher than the controls. After adjusting costs, controlling for comorbidities and healthcare costs before the onset of HZ, the average annual costs for HZ cases and controls without HZ were similar. HZ-related complications led to increases in average adjusted annual costs compared to uncomplicated HZ ranging from US$612 for eye complications to US$4535 for neurologic complications. In conclusion, in IC individuals, episodes of HZ lead to substantially increased unadjusted annual healthcare costs. HZ-related complications add considerably to adjusted annual healthcare costs compared to uncomplicated HZ.

Analysis of real-world health care costs among immunocompetent patients aged 50 years or older with herpes zoster in the United States.

Few peer-reviewed publications present real-world United States (US) data describing resource utilization and costs associated with herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). The primary objective of this analysis (GSK study identifier: HO-14-14270) was to assess direct costs associated with HZ and PHN in the US using a retrospective managed care insurance claims database. Patients ≥ 50 y at HZ diagnosis were selected. Patients were excluded if they were immunocompromised before diagnosis or received an HZ vaccine at any time. A subsample of patients with PHN was identified. Each patient with HZ was matched to ≤ 4 controls without HZ based on age, sex, and health plan enrollment. Incremental differences in mean HZ-related costs ("incremental costs") were assessed overall and stratified by age. Multivariable regression models controlled for the effect of demographic characteristics, prediagnosis costs, and comorbidity burden on costs using a recycled predictions approach. Overall, 142,519 patients with HZ (9,470 patients [6.6%] had PHN) and 357,907 matched controls without HZ were identified. Resource utilization was greater among patients with HZ than controls. After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, annual incremental health care costs for HZ patients vs. controls were $1,210 for patients aged 50-59 years, $1,629 for those 60-64 years, $1,876 for those 65-69 years, $2,643 for those 70-79 years, and $3,804 for those 80+ years; adjusted annual incremental costs among PHN patients vs. controls were $4,670 for patients 50-59 years, $6,133 for those 60-64 years, $6,451 for those 65-69 years, $8,548 for those 70-79 years, and $11,147 for those 80+ years. HZ is associated with a significant cost burden, which increases with advancing patient age. Vaccination may reduce costs associated with HZ through case avoidance.

Factors associated with inpatient readmission among managed care enrollees with COPD.

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors associated with inpatient readmission among a US managed care population with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). BACKGROUND: COPD is often accompanied by intermittent acute exacerbations, which may result in hospitalizations. These exacerbations are often associated with an increased frequency of subsequent exacerbations, which may lead to inpatient readmissions. METHODS: We assessed US managed care claims data for enrollees≥40 years old with an inpatient admission with a primary diagnosis of COPD (ICD-9-CM codes 491.xx, 492.xx or 496.xx) between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2013 (discharge date of first observed inpatient admission defined the "index date"). Patients were required to be continuously enrolled for ≥12 months before the index date. Two non-mutually exclusive cohorts were analyzed: (1) patients with ≥30 days of post-index date continuous enrollment (to evaluate 30-day readmission) and (2) patients with ≥90 days of post-index date continuous enrollment (to evaluate 90-day readmission). Logistic regression evaluated the association between patient characteristics and risk of 30- and 90-day COPD-related and all-cause readmission. RESULTS: After applying selection criteria, 140,981 patients had ≥30 days of enrollment post-index date, and 123,545 patients had ≥90 days of enrollment post-index date. Within 30 days, nearly 20% of patients had an all-cause readmission and 7% had a COPD-related readmission. Within 90 days, 28% had an all-cause readmission and 12% had a COPD-related readmission. Logistic regression indicated that longer length of stay, older age, greater comorbidity burden, specific comorbidities and COPD complexity were associated with significantly greater odds of COPD-related 30- and 90-day readmission. Results for all-cause readmission were generally similar. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the factors associated with inpatient readmission documented here can be ascertained at discharge and may be used to inform discharge plans, with the end goal of improving patient outcomes, including reducing the risk of readmission.

Use of basal insulin and the associated clinical outcomes among elderly nursing home residents with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective chart review study.

BACKGROUND: The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in long-term care (LTC) settings can be complex as a result of age-related complications. Despite guideline recommendations, sliding scale insulin remains commonplace in the LTC setting and data on basal insulin use are lacking. METHODS: This retrospective study used medical chart data and the Minimum Data Set from elderly LTC facility patients who received basal insulin (insulin glargine, insulin detemir, or neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin) for the treatment of diabetes, to investigate the practice patterns and associated clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2,096 elderly, insulin-treated patients in LTC were identified, with 59.5% of them (N=1,247) receiving basal insulin. Of these, more than 50% of patients received sliding scale insulin in co-administration with basal insulin. Despite its ease of use, insulin pen use was very low, at 14.6%. Significant differences were observed between the basal insulin groups for glycated hemoglobin level and dosing frequency. Hypoglycemia was uncommon -17.2% of patients experienced at least one event, and there was no significant difference in the prevalence of hypoglycemia between the groups. CONCLUSION: These data suggest the underutilization of basal insulin in the LTC setting and worryingly high combinational use with sliding scale insulin. Differences in glycated hemoglobin and dosing frequencies between types of basal insulin warrant further comparative effectiveness studies.

Point-of-care platelet reactivity determination with VerifyNow-P2Y12 following administration of clopidogrel or prasugrel: data from a real-world, clinical care inpatient setting.

OBJECTIVES: To describe VerifyNow-P2Y12 (VN-P2Y12, Accumetrics, San Diego, CA) results from patients treated with either clopidogrel or prasugrel who were seeking care in a hospital setting. BACKGROUND: VN-P2Y12 is a point-of-care device that measures platelet reactivity to adenosine diphosphate. Past assessments of thienopyridine therapy utilizing VN-P2Y12 have largely come from clinical trial settings. There are limited data from real-world settings. METHODS: Electronic medical record data from Huntsville Hospital (Huntsville, AL) for those who underwent VN-P2Y12 testing for clopidogrel or prasugrel between January 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010 were analyzed. The VN-P2Y12 data included P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs) and device-reported percentage of inhibition. Descriptive analyses were conducted with t tests, and a logistic regression model was estimated to assess the association between patient characteristics and the likelihood of platelet nonresponse. RESULTS: In total, 2882 tests (2476 with clopidogrel and 406 with prasugrel) were analyzed. For clopidogrel and prasugrel, respectively, mean PRU standard deviation (SD) was 206 (90) and 107 (93; P < 0.0001) and mean % inhibition (SD) was 31% (26%) and 63% (31%; P < 0.0001). Treatment with clopidogrel alone (odds ratio [OR] = 5.25; P < 0.0001), being non-Caucasian (OR = 1.48; P = 0.0440), obese (OR = 1.49; P = 0.0010), anemic (OR = 3.29; P < 0.0001), diabetic (OR = 1.75; P < 0.0001), and having a history of myocardial infarction (OR = 1.57; P < 0.0001) were significant predictors of having PRU ≥ 235. CONCLUSION: This real-world data analysis shows results that are consistent with clinical trial results, namely that compared with clopidogrel, prasugrel is associated with significantly lower PRU and greater percentage of inhibition, regardless of age, race, gender, diabetes, obesity, or proton pump inhibitor use.

The high-cost, type 2 diabetes mellitus patient: an analysis of managed care administrative data.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects 25.8 million individuals in the United States and exerts a substantial economic burden on patients, health care systems, and society. Few studies have categorized costs and resource use at the patient level. The goals of this study were to assess predictors of being a high-cost (HC) patient and compare HC T2DM patients with not high-cost (NHC) T2DM patients. METHODS: Using managed care administrative claims data, patients with two or more T2DM diagnoses between 2005 and 2010 were selected. Patients were followed for 1 year after their first observed T2DM diagnosis; patients not continuously enrolled during this period were excluded from the study. Study measures included annual health care expenditures by component (i.e., inpatient, outpatient, pharmacy, total). Patients accruing total costs in the top 10% of the overall cost distribution (i.e., patients with costs > $20,528) were classified as HC a priori; all other patients were considered NHC. To assess predictors of being HC, a logistic regression model was estimated, accounting for demographics; underlying comorbidity burden (using the Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] score); diagnoses of renal impairment, obesity, or hypertension; and receipt of insulin, oral antidiabetics only, or no antidiabetics. RESULTS: A total of 1,720,041 patients met the inclusion criteria; 172,004 were HC. The mean (SD) CCI score for HC patients was 4.3 (3.0) versus 2.1 (1.7) for NHC patients. Mean (SD; upper 95% confidence interval-lower 95% confidence interval) annual per-patient costs were $56,468 ($65,604; $56,778-$56,157) among HC patients and $4,674 ($4,504; $4,695-$4,652) among NHC patients. Inpatient care and pharmacy costs were higher for HC patients than for NHC patients. The strongest predictor of being an HC patient was having a CCI score of 2 or greater (odds ratio [OR] = 4.896), followed by a diagnosis of obesity (OR = 2.106), renal impairment (OR = 2.368), and insulin use (OR = 2.098). CONCLUSIONS: High-cost T2DM patients accrue approximately $52,000 more in total annual health care costs than not high-cost T2DM patients. Patients were significantly more likely to be high-cost if they had comorbid conditions, a diagnosis of obesity, or used insulin.

Association between different hemoglobin A1c levels and clinical outcomes among elderly nursing home residents with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: New guidelines recommend a target glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7.5% to 8.0% in elderly persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but real-world data regarding outcomes associated with different HbA1c levels in the elderly are limited. This study assessed outcomes and their association with defined HbA1c thresholds and age ranges in insulin-treated, elderly, patients with T2DM in long-term care (LTC). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of medical charts and the Minimum Data Set (MDS) for the period September 2010 through September 2011. SETTING: A total of 117 nursing homes in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible patients had resided in LTC for 3 months or more, had at least 1 full MDS assessment, 2 or more records of insulin dispensing with no pump use, and 1 or more HbA1c measurements. MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes that were measured included hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, infections, falls, hospitalization, and emergency room (ER) visits. RESULTS: A total of 583 patients were included (mean age 78.9 years, mean chart observation length 55 days). In all groups, hypoglycemia was lowest in patients with an HbA1c level higher than 9.0%. In patients 75 years or older, infection rates were highest when HbA1c levels were higher than 9.0%. Falls increased by HbA1c level in patients aged 65 to 74 years, but decreased by HbA1c levels in patients 85 years or older. Ketoacidosis, hospitalization, and ER visits were low in all groups. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that better glycemic levels may not necessarily be associated with better clinical outcomes, and different age groups may exhibit different patterns, thereby supporting the call for individualized glycemic control among elderly patients.

Association between daily antiretroviral pill burden and treatment adherence, hospitalisation risk, and other healthcare utilisation and costs in a US medicaid population with HIV.

OBJECTIVES: Lower pill burden leads to improved antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among HIV patients. Simpler dosing regimens have not been widely explored in real-world populations. We retrospectively assessed ART adherence, all-cause hospitalisation risk and costs, and other healthcare utilisation and costs in Medicaid enrollees with HIV treated with ART as a once-daily single-tablet regimen (STR) or two or more pills per day (2+PPD). DESIGN: Patients with an HIV diagnosis from 2005 to 2009 receiving complete ART (ie, two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus a third agent) for ≥60 days as STR or 2+PPD were selected and followed until the first of (1) discontinuation of the complete ART, (2) loss of enrolment or (3) end of database. Adherence was measured using the medication possession ratio. Monthly all-cause healthcare utilisation and costs were observed from regimen initiation until follow-up end. RESULTS: Of the 7381 patients who met inclusion criteria, 1797 were treated with STR and 5584 with 2+PPD. STR patients were significantly more likely to reach 95% adherence and had fewer hospitalisations than 2+PPD patients (both p<0.01). STR patients had mean (SD) total monthly costs of $2959 ($4962); 2+PPD patients had $3544 ($5811; p<0.001). Hospital costs accounted for 53.8% and pharmacy costs accounted for 32.5% of this difference. Multivariate analyses found that STR led to a 23% reduction in hospitalisations and a 17% reduction in overall healthcare costs. ART adherence appears to be a key mechanism mediating hospitalisation risk, as patients with ≥95% adherence (regardless of regimen type) had a lower hospitalisation rate compared with <95% adherence. CONCLUSIONS: While it was expected that STR patients would have lower pharmacy costs, we also found that STR patients had fewer hospitalisations and lower hospital costs than 2+PPD patients, resulting in significantly lower total healthcare costs for STR patients.

Real-world comparative outcomes of US type 2 diabetes patients initiating analog basal insulin therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes in insulin-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who initiated insulin glargine or insulin detemir. METHODS: Retrospective data were analyzed from the US General Electric Centricity electronic medical records (EMR) database from patients (≥18 years old) with T2DM initiating insulin glargine or detemir between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. Included patients had EMR data for ≥6 months prior to (baseline) and ≥12 months after (follow-up) the index date (date of first insulin prescription), and at least one OAD and/or GLP-1 receptor agonist prescription order during baseline, but no previous insulin prescription. Patients were matched on baseline characteristics 5:1, insulin glargine to detemir, to ameliorate selection bias. Outcomes assessed were persistence with insulin therapy, glycemic control, hypoglycemia, body weight, and body mass index over follow-up. RESULTS: Insulin glargine and detemir groups were similar in terms of gender (51.0% and 51.5% female, P = 0.7356), age (57.8 and 57.4 years, P = 0.3368), A1C (9.4% and 9.4%, P = 0.6642), and body weight (101.9 kg and 102.4 kg, P = 0.4920) at baseline. During follow-up, patients initiating insulin glargine were more persistent (80.1% vs 67.8%, P < 0.0001) and had a greater change in A1C (-1.11% vs -0.96%, P = 0.0479). Percentage change in weight (0.91% and 0.65%, P = 0.2734) and hypoglycemia prevalence (3.6% vs 4.1%, P = 0.4338) were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this real-world EMR analysis suggest that among T2DM patients, initiating insulin treatment with insulin glargine may be associated with better treatment persistence and glycemic control, with similar prevalence of hypoglycemia and weight change, compared with initiating with insulin detemir. This study is limited by the retrospective nature of the data collection using EMRs and inability to confirm accuracy and completeness of data by secondary chart review.

Burden of sliding scale insulin use in elderly long-term care residents with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To examine prevalence, practice patterns, and associated burden of sliding scale insulin (SSI) therapy in elderly adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). DESIGN: A retrospective cross-sectional study assessing merged medical chart data and the Minimum Data Set. SETTING: One hundred seventeen long-term care (LTC) facilities in seven U.S. states. PARTICIPANTS: Elderly adults with insulin-treated T2DM (N=2,096) admitted to a LTC facility after January 1, 2009, who had been in the facility for at least 3 months before chart abstraction and had received treatment with non-SSI or SSI regimens. The latter were categorized into SSI-only, basal­SSI, prandial­SSI, basal­prandial­SSI, and multiple regimens with SSI. Data were collected from September 2010 through September 2011. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Fingerstick burden was assessed as the average number of fingersticks per week and average number without subsequent insulin administration. Other measures included glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and hypoglycemia events. RESULTS: Overall, 73.8% of participants received SSI therapy. SSI-treated participants were more likely to be younger (P=.01), non-white (P=.002), and receiving sulfonylurea (P=.004) than non-SSI treated participants. SSI therapy was associated with a mean±standard deviation of 19.9±7.9 fingersticks per week, of which 12.5±7.6 were not followed by insulin administration. Fewer SSI-treated participants than non-SSI treated participants had one or more HbA1c measurements of 7.0% or less (48.8% vs 57.2%) or 8.5% or less (85.2% vs 87.6%, respectively). Rates of hypoglycemia were similar in both groups (15.0% vs 14.9%). CONCLUSION: SSI therapy is widely used in LTC facilities and is associated with a high fingerstick burden. SSI regimens are associated with poorer glycemic control but a rate of hypoglycemia similar to that of non-SSI regimens.

Adherence to antiretroviral treatment and correlation with risk of hospitalization among commercially insured HIV patients in the United States.

PURPOSE: A lower daily pill burden may improve adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) and clinical outcomes in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study assessed differences in adherence using the number of pills taken per day, and evaluated how adherence correlated with hospitalization. METHODOLOGY: Commercially insured patients in the LifeLink database with an HIV diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code 042.xx) between 6/1/2006 and 12/31/2008 and receipt of a complete ART regimen were selected for inclusion. Patients were grouped according to their daily pill count and remained on ART for at least 60 days. Outcomes included adherence and rates of hospitalization. Adherence was measured as the proportion of days between the start and end of the regimen in which the patient maintained supply of all initiated ART components. Logistic regressions assessed the relationship between pills per day, adherence, and hospitalization, controlling for demographics, comorbidities, and ART-naïve (vs. experienced) status. RESULTS: 7,073 patients met the study inclusion criteria, and 33.4%, 5.8%, and 60.8% received an ART regimen comprising one, two, or three or more pills per day, respectively. Regression analysis showed patients receiving a single pill per day were significantly more likely to reach a 95% adherence threshold versus patients receiving three or more pills per day (odds ratio [OR] = 1.59; P<0.001). Regardless of the number of pills received per day, patients were over 40% less likely to have a hospitalization if they were adherent to therapy (OR = 0.57; P<0.001). Patients receiving a single pill per day were 24% less likely to have a hospitalization versus patients receiving three or more pills per day (OR = 0.76; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: ART consisting of a single pill per day was associated with significantly better adherence and lower risk of hospitalization in patients with HIV compared to patients receiving three or more pills per day.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and renal impairment in a large outpatient electronic medical records database: rates of diagnosis and antihyperglycemic medication dose adjustment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess rates of diagnosis and antihyperglycemic dose adjustment in patients with moderate to end-stage renal impairment (RI) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: Retrospective database analysis using GE Centricity Outpatient Electronic Medical Records. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with evidence of T2DM (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification codes 250.x0 and 250.x2) between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2009, and ≥ 12 months of data after identification were selected. Moderate to end-stage RI was evaluated using a formula-derived estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on serum creatinine (SCr). Patients were classified as moderate (eGFR, 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), severe (eGFR, 15-29 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), or end-stage (eGFR, < 15 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), per the National Kidney Foundation guidelines, based on the first-observed SCr test. Among patients with a physician diagnosis, the time to diagnosis was reported. Dose adjustment was reported for patients receiving metformin and sitagliptin. Predictors of progression to end-stage RI based on logistic regressions were examined. RESULTS: 35.2% of patients with T2DM had evidence of moderate to end-stage RI. Of these patients, 20% had a chart-documented physician diagnosis (range, 16% [moderate RI] to 66% [end-stage RI]). Patients with moderate or severe RI had a physician diagnosis mean of 253.4 (standard deviation [SD], 584.5) and 86.9 (SD, 417.4) days, respectively, after the eGFR calculation indicating RI. Patients with end-stage RI had a physician diagnosis mean of 83.6 (SD, 399.2) days before the eGFR calculation. After the eGFR calculation, 15.1% and 0.1% of patients with orders for sitagliptin and metformin, respectively, received doses of the drug appropriate for their degree of RI. Among patients with moderate or severe RI, appropriate diagnosis of RI was associated with significantly lower odds of progressing to end-stage RI (odds ratio, 0.200; 95% confidence interval, 0.188-0.213). CONCLUSIONS: Renal impairment is common but often undetected in patients with T2DM. Patients with a documented RI diagnosis have lower odds of progression to end-stage RI. Metformin and sitagliptin are frequently used at inappropriate doses in patients with RI. Further analyses to understand the clinical and economic consequences of these findings are needed.

The economic costs to United States hospitals of invasive fungal infections in transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with a solid organ transplant (SOTs) and hematopoietic stem cell or bone marrow transplants (HSC/BMTs) are at risk of contracting invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Data on the economic burden of IFIs in the United States are sparse. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study using the 2004-2005 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample. The IFI cohort included patients with ICD-9-CM codes indicating a transplant procedure and an IFI. Matched controls (transplant recipients without an IFI) were chosen based on age (10 year categories), sex, region, hospital type, year, and transplant type. Mortality, length of stay, and costs were reported overall, by transplant type, and by type of mycosis. RESULTS: Nine thousand eight hundred ninety-six patients underwent SOT, and 4661 underwent HSC/BMT. Of these, 80 (0.8%) SOT and 111 (2.4%) HSC/BMT patients had an IFI. Mean age was 41.8 years (SOT) and 37.8 years (HSC/BMT). Aspergillosis was the most common infection. Patients with an IFI had a 5-fold increase in mortality, an additional 19.2 hospital days, and $55,400 in excess costs compared with patients without an IFI. Excess mortality, length of stay, and costs varied by type of transplant and mycosis. CONCLUSION: The clinical and economic burden of IFIs in transplant recipients may be high.

Medication adherence and hospitalization among patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics.

OBJECTIVE: This analysis assessed rates of medication adherence and predictors of nonadherence and hospitalization among patients treated with long-acting injectable and oral antipsychotic therapies. METHODS: Data were from a retrospective analysis of Florida Medicaid recipients with schizophrenic disorder (ICD-9-CM code 295.XX) who received a prescription for an antipsychotic between July 1, 2004, and June 30, 2005. Patients were required to have filled one additional antipsychotic prescription during follow-up. Adherence measures included medication possession ratio (MPR), medication persistence, medication consistency, and maximum gap in treatment. Multivariate logistic regression models identified predictors of nonadherence and hospitalization. RESULTS: Patients were considered adherent if they had an MPR ≥ .8. A total of 12,032 patients met selection criteria. The mean ± SD MPR was .79 ± .23, medication persistence was 94.1% ± 16.4%, medication consistency was 83.3% ± 16.4%, and the maximum gap in treatment was 29.7 ± 41.4 days. Thirty-seven percent of patients were hospitalized for any cause, and 32% had a psychiatric hospitalization. Predictors of nonadherence included newly starting treatment; younger age; a substance abuse diagnosis; use of a mood stabilizer, antidepressant, anxiolytic, or anticholinergic; and receipt of long-acting first-generation antipsychotics. Receipt of long-acting second-generation therapy or receipt of both first- and second-generation medications was associated with lower likelihood of nonadherence. Predictors of hospitalization risk included a diagnosis of other psychoses or substance abuse, anticholinergic use, and nonadherence to therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Results document rates of antipsychotic adherence and predictors of nonadherence and hospitalization. Findings may be useful to health plan administrators, formulary decision makers, and physicians.

Inpatient treatment patterns, outcomes, and costs of skin and skin structure infections because of Staphylococcus aureus.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a common bacterial pathogen in skin and skin structure infections (SSSIs). Limited data exist on hospital treatment patterns and costs for SA-SSSIs. METHODS: This retrospective analysis examined the lengths of stay, treatment patterns, and costs of hospitalized patients with an SA-SSSI diagnosis using a nationally representative inpatient database. Patients were selected if they had an ICD-9-CM diagnosis of an SSSI with SA noted between January 2005 and June 2006, received a study antibiotic (ie, intravenous [IV] vancomycin, IV or oral linezolid, and IV daptomycin), and were not in the intensive care unit before receiving a study antibiotic. Generalized linear models assessed predictors of length of stay and costs. Costs are expressed in 2005 US dollars. RESULTS: Thirteen thousand four hundred thirty-three patients met the selection criteria and mean (+/-SD) age was 48.2 (+/-18.3) years. Forty percent of patients received a nonstudy antibiotic before receiving their first study antibiotic. Ninety-five percent were prescribed vancomycin as their first study antibiotic. Study antibiotics were administered for an average of 4.3 days, and 8% of patients switched study antibiotics. Nineteen percent of patients receiving IV linezolid stepped down to oral linezolid. Mean (+/-SD) lengths of hospital stay and costs were 6.1 (+/-6.0) days and $6830 (+/-$7100). In-hospital mortality, switching antibiotics, and diagnoses of selected complications or comorbidities were associated with increased lengths of stay and costs. Younger age, location outside the Northeast, and use of oral linezolid were associated with lower lengths of stay and costs. CONCLUSION: The costs of treating inpatient SA-SSSIs are substantial and vary by patient demographics and treatment characteristics.