Healthcare Providers Underestimate Patients' Glucocorticoid Use in Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

One of the therapy goals for Crohn's disease (CD) is glucocorticoid-free remission. Studies have shown care setting-specific variations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management.

AIMS

The principal objective of this study was to assess concordance between patient-reported and physician-reported outcomes in two different care settings (IBD centers and community practices).

METHODS

Data of overall and long-term (≥ 3 months) glucocorticoid, immunosuppressant, and biologics use in participants ≥ 18 years old with a confirmed diagnosis of CD were collected. HCPs were grouped by IBD centers and community practices. Quality of life (using EuroQol 5D [EQ-5D]) and work/activity days lost were assessed. Agreement between patients' and HCPs' responses to survey questions was tested using kappa statistics.

RESULTS

Data from 812 patients were examined. Significantly more patients versus HCPs reported oral glucocorticoid use (25.9% vs. 20.8%, κ = 0.735, P < 0.0001). Long-term use of oral glucocorticoids was similar for patients versus HCPs (67.7% vs. 63.8%, κ = 0.598, P = 0.53). Immunosuppressant use was 52.4% vs. 51.1% (κ = 0.784) and biologics use was 49.5% vs. 47.0% (κ = 0.909) for patients vs. HCPs. Patients and HCPs reported greater rates of symptom improvement with vs without biologic therapy (patients: 33.3% vs 16.8%; HCPs: 29.3% vs 13.5%, both P < 0.001). Patients with versus without routine follow-up were less likely to be treated with long-term glucocorticoid monotherapy (10.3% vs. 20.7%, P < 0.01) and had fewer lost work/activity days (5 vs. 8 days, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients reported more oral glucocorticoid use than physicians thought. Routine follow-up and higher rates of biologic use are associated with improvement in disease symptoms and general health among patients with CD.

Dupilumab provides important clinical benefits to patients with atopic dermatitis who do not achieve clear or almost clear skin according to the Investigator's Global Assessment: a pooled analysis of data from two phase III trials

BACKGROUND

In the U.S.A., an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of ≤ 1 (clear or almost clear skin) has been the standard measure in regulatory outcomes for registration clinical trials in atopic dermatitis (AD), including those supporting the recent approval of dupilumab.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the treatment effect of dupilumab in patients with IGA > 1 at the end of treatment, using other validated outcome measures for AD signs, symptoms and quality of life.

METHODS

LIBERTY AD SOLO 1 and 2 were two 16-week, randomized, double-blind trials enrolling adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD (IGA ≥ 3) inadequately controlled with topical treatment. We performed a post hoc analysis in patients receiving dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks (q2w) or placebo. Outcome measures in patients with IGA > 1 included Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), pruritus numerical rating scale (NRS), affected body surface area (BSA), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The trials were registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02277743 and NCT02277769.

RESULTS

At week 16, 278 of 449 dupilumab q2w-treated patients (median age 36·0 years) and 396 of 443 placebo-treated patients had IGA > 1. Among patients with IGA > 1 at week 16, dupilumab significantly improved several outcome measures compared with placebo: EASI (-48·9% vs. -11·3%, P < 0·001), pruritus NRS (-35·2% vs. -9·1%, P < 0·001), affected BSA (-23·1% vs. -4·5%, P < 0·001), POEM score ≥ 4-point improvement (57·4% vs. 21·0%, P < 0·001) and DLQI score ≥ 4-point improvement (59·3% vs. 24·4%, P < 0·001).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with IGA > 1 at week 16, dupilumab induced statistically significant benefits in multiple validated outcome measures compared with placebo. The IGA ≤ 1 end point significantly underestimates clinically relevant dupilumab treatment effects.

Evaluation of safety and efficacy of p53MVA vaccine combined with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid cancers

BACKGROUND

Vaccination of cancer patients with p53-expressing modified vaccinia Ankara virus (p53MVA) has shown in our previous studies to activate p53-reactive T cells in peripheral blood but without immediate clinical benefit. We hypothesized that the immunological responses to p53MVA vaccine may require additional immune checkpoint blockade to achieve clinically beneficial levels. We therefore conducted a phase I trial evaluating the combination of p53MVA and pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eleven patients with advanced breast, pancreatic, hepatocellular, or head and neck cancer received up to 3 triweekly vaccines in combination with pembrolizumab given concurrently and thereafter, alone at 3-week intervals until disease progression. The patients were assessed for toxicity and clinical response. Correlative studies analyzed p53-reactive T cells and profile of immune function gene expression.

RESULTS

We observed clinical responses in 3/11 patients who remained with stable disease for 30, 32, and 49 weeks. Two of these patients showed increased frequencies and persistence of p53-reactive CD8+ T cells and elevation of expression of multiple immune response genes. Borderline or undetectable p53-specific T cell responses in 7/11 patients were related to no immediate clinical benefit. The first study patient had a grade 5 fatal myocarditis. After the study was amended for enhanced cardiac monitoring, no additional cardiac toxicities were noted.

CONCLUSION

We have shown that the combination of p53MVA vaccine with pembrolizumab is feasible, safe, and may offer clinical benefit in select group of patients that should be identified through further studies.

Reduced Imaging Radiation Exposure and Costs Associated with Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy in Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

Radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging may increase cancer risk of Crohn's disease (CD) patients, who are already at increased risk of certain cancers.

AIM

To compare imaging radiation exposure and associated costs in CD patients during the year pre- and post-initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents or corticosteroids.

METHODS

Adults were identified from a large US claims database between 1/1/2005 and 12/31/2009 with ≥ 1 abdominal imaging scan and 12 months of enrollment before and after initiating therapy with anti-TNF or corticosteroids. Imaging utilization, radiation exposure, and healthcare costs pre- and post-initiation were examined.

RESULTS

Anti-TNF-treated patients had significantly fewer imaging examinations the year prior to initiation than corticosteroid-treated patients. Cumulative radiation doses before initiation were significantly higher for corticosteroid patients compared to anti-TNF patients (22.3 vs. 17.7 millisieverts, P = 0.0083). After therapy initiation, anti-TNF-treated patients had significantly fewer imaging examinations (2.9 vs. 5.2, P < 0.0001) and less radiation exposure (7.4 vs. 15.4 millisieverts, P <0.0001) than corticosteroid-treated patients in the follow-up period. Reductions in imaging costs adjusted for 1000 patient-years after initiation of therapy were - $275,090 and - $121,960 (P = 0.0359) for anti-TNF versus corticosteroid patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis demonstrated that patients treated with anti-TNF agents have fewer imaging examinations, less radiation exposure, and lower healthcare costs associated with imaging than patients treated with corticosteroids. These benefits do not account for additional long-term benefits that may be gained from reduced radiation exposure.

Disparities in survival after trimodality therapy for esophageal adenocarcinoma

Trimodality therapy with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery has emerged as the standard of care for the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer. Yet, there is considerable variation in survival within this population. We sought to analyze factors associated with survival after trimodality therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma. We identified 4,679 patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) of the American College of Surgeons who received chemotherapy and radiation prior to surgery for esophageal adenocarcinoma from 2006 to 2013. We excluded patients with stage IV disease and unknown pathological nodal status. We performed regression analyses using a Cox proportional hazards model to identify independent predictors of overall survival. On multivariate analysis, pathologic characteristics associated with decreased overall survival included stage, lymphovascular invasion, and positive surgical margins. Insurance status, age, and comorbidity index were also associated with decreased survival. We found that pathologically node-positive patients who received additional adjuvant chemotherapy were associated with improved survival. Compared to private insurance, Medicaid (HR 1.45, CI 1.22-1.73, P < 0.0001), Medicare (HR 1.17, CI 1.04-1.31, P = 0.0082), or having no insurance (HR 1.50, CI 1.17-1.92, P = 0.0012) were all negative predictors of overall survival. In patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma who have undergone trimodality therapy, a number of different factors are associated with overall survival. In particular, socioeconomic factors relating to access to care are independent predictors of survival. Despite receiving the standard of care, treatment disparities persist in this population of patients.

Efficacy and Safety of Dupilumab in Glucocorticoid-Dependent Severe Asthma

BACKGROUND

Dupilumab is a fully human anti-interleukin-4 receptor α monoclonal antibody that blocks both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling. Its effectiveness in reducing oral glucocorticoid use in patients with severe asthma while maintaining asthma control is unknown.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 210 patients with oral glucocorticoid-treated asthma to receive add-on dupilumab (at a dose of 300 mg) or placebo every 2 weeks for 24 weeks. After a glucocorticoid dose-adjustment period before randomization, glucocorticoid doses were adjusted in a downward trend from week 4 to week 20 and then maintained at a stable dose for 4 weeks. The primary end point was the percentage reduction in the glucocorticoid dose at week 24. Key secondary end points were the proportion of patients at week 24 with a reduction of at least 50% in the glucocorticoid dose and the proportion of patients with a reduction to a glucocorticoid dose of less than 5 mg per day. Severe exacerbation rates and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) before bronchodilator use were also assessed.

RESULTS

The percentage change in the glucocorticoid dose was -70.1% in the dupilumab group, as compared with -41.9% in the placebo group (P<0.001); 80% versus 50% of the patients had a dose reduction of at least 50%, 69% versus 33% had a dose reduction to less than 5 mg per day, and 48% versus 25% completely discontinued oral glucocorticoid use. Despite reductions in the glucocorticoid dose, in the overall population, dupilumab treatment resulted in a severe exacerbation rate that was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37 to 74) lower than that in the placebo group and resulted in an FEV₁ that was 0.22 liters (95% CI, 0.09 to 0.34) higher. Injection-site reactions were more common with dupilumab than with placebo (9% vs. 4%). Transient blood eosinophilia was observed in more patients in the dupilumab group than in the placebo group (14% vs. 1%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with glucocorticoid-dependent severe asthma, dupilumab treatment reduced oral glucocorticoid use while decreasing the rate of severe exacerbations and increasing the FEV₁. Transient eosinophilia was observed in approximately 1 in 7 dupilumab-treated patients. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; LIBERTY ASTHMA VENTURE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02528214 .).

Dupilumab Efficacy and Safety in Moderate-to-Severe Uncontrolled Asthma

BACKGROUND

Dupilumab is a fully human anti-interleukin-4 receptor α monoclonal antibody that blocks both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling. We assessed its efficacy and safety in patients with uncontrolled asthma.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 1902 patients 12 years of age or older with uncontrolled asthma in a 2:2:1:1 ratio to receive add-on subcutaneous dupilumab at a dose of 200 or 300 mg every 2 weeks or matched-volume placebos for 52 weeks. The primary end points were the annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations and the absolute change from baseline to week 12 in the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) before bronchodilator use in the overall trial population. Secondary end points included the exacerbation rate and FEV₁ in patients with a blood eosinophil count of 300 or more per cubic millimeter. Asthma control and dupilumab safety were also assessed.

RESULTS

The annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations was 0.46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.53) among patients assigned to 200 mg of dupilumab every 2 weeks and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.72 to 1.05) among those assigned to a matched placebo, for a 47.7% lower rate with dupilumab than with placebo (P<0.001); similar results were seen with the dupilumab dose of 300 mg every 2 weeks. At week 12, the FEV₁ had increased by 0.32 liters in patients assigned to the lower dose of dupilumab (difference vs. matched placebo, 0.14 liters; P<0.001); similar results were seen with the higher dose. Among patients with a blood eosinophil count of 300 or more per cubic millimeter, the annualized rate of severe asthma exacerbations was 0.37 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.48) among those receiving lower-dose dupilumab and 1.08 (95% CI, 0.85 to 1.38) among those receiving a matched placebo (65.8% lower rate with dupilumab than with placebo; 95% CI, 52.0 to 75.6); similar results were observed with the higher dose. Blood eosinophilia occurred after the start of the intervention in 52 patients (4.1%) who received dupilumab as compared with 4 patients (0.6%) who received placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

In this trial, patients who received dupilumab had significantly lower rates of severe asthma exacerbation than those who received placebo, as well as better lung function and asthma control. Greater benefits were seen in patients with higher baseline levels of eosinophils. Hypereosinophilia was observed in some patients. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; LIBERTY ASTHMA QUEST ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02414854 .).

Liberty Asthma QUEST: Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study to Evaluate Dupilumab Efficacy/Safety in Patients with Uncontrolled, Moderate-to-Severe Asthma

Introduction

Dupilumab, a fully human anti-IL-4Rα monoclonal antibody, inhibits signaling of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, which are key drivers of type 2-mediated inflammation. Dupilumab is approved in the EU, USA, and other countries for the treatment of adults with inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Following positive phase 2 results in asthma, the phase 3 Liberty Asthma QUEST trial was initiated to provide further evidence for dupilumab efficacy and safety in patients with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma.

Methods

Liberty Asthma QUEST is a phase 3, multinational, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial (NCT02414854) in patients with persistent asthma who are receiving continuous treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus one or two other asthma controller medicines. A total of 1902 patients (aged ≥ 12 years) were randomized in a 2:2:1:1 ratio to receive 52 weeks of add-on therapy with subcutaneously administered dupilumab 200 or 300 mg every 2 weeks or matched placebo. The study consisted of a 4 ± 1-week screening period, 52-week randomized treatment period, and 12-week post-treatment follow-up period. All patients continued to receive their prescribed ICS plus up to two additional controller medications. The primary efficacy endpoints were annualized rate of severe exacerbation events during the 52-week treatment period and absolute change from baseline in pre-bronchodilator FEV₁ at week 12.

Conclusion

Uncontrolled asthma patients with persistent symptoms represent a population of significant unmet need, for whom new treatments are required. Patients with severe asthma are at high risk of asthma exacerbations, and face an accelerated decline in lung function and impaired quality of life. QUEST examines the efficacy of dupilumab in this at-risk patient population; it is the largest placebo-controlled study in uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma with a biologic agent to date, and the only phase 3 study of a biologic therapy of asthma that enrolled patients irrespective of baseline type 2 inflammatory biomarker levels.

Funding

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Clinical Trials.gov Identifier

NCT02414854.

Indirect Costs and Family Burden of Pediatric Crohn's Disease in the United States

BACKGROUND

Crohn's disease (CD) negatively impacts patient quality of life and results in greater healthcare utilization. For pediatric CD patients, the burden also extends to their caregivers. We aimed to estimate work loss and productivity costs among caregivers of pediatric CD patients.

METHODS

Data were from Truven MarketScan databases (2000-2012). Patients were <18 years old with ≥2 ICD-9 CD diagnostic codes. Controls were those without CD or ulcerative colitis and were matched to patients by age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, index year, and insurance plan category. Continuous enrollment was required ≥6 months before and ≥12 months after index, defined as the patient's first CD diagnosis date. Outcomes included hours of work loss and associated productivity costs of caregivers 1-year postindex. Work loss and productivity costs were compared between caregivers of patients and controls. Adjustments for unbalanced baseline factors were made using a generalized linear regression model.

RESULTS

Each cohort included 200 study participants and their caregivers. Unadjusted annual hours of work loss after first diagnosis were 214.4 ± 171.5 and 169.6 ± 157.5 for caregivers of CD patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.007). Annual productivity costs were 27.2% ($1122) higher for caregivers of CD patients than controls, estimated at $5243 and $4,121, respectively (P = 0.004). Adjusted cost analyses yielded similar findings. Over the course of a patient's childhood, accumulated productivity losses were $24,118 for CD patients and $18,957 for control caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers of pediatric CD patients have significantly higher loss in productivity costs compared with controls.

Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs Among Adults with Atopic Dermatitis in the United States: A Claims-Based Analysis

BACKGROUND

Data on health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine HCRU and costs associated with AD in US adults.

METHODS

This retrospective study identified patients with AD from the Truven Health Marketscan Commercial Claims and Encounters database during 2013 based on ≥2 claims with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 691.8 (n = 10,533; first claim = index event); 1-year continuous enrollment before and after index was required. Patients were age- and gender-matched in a 1:3 ratio to controls without AD (n = 31,599). Patients with AD were further categorized into 2 groups, with treatment regimens as surrogates for increasing disease severity: claim for phototherapy or systemic immunomodulatory agents (more severe) or no claim for either (less severe). Incremental differences in resource use and costs were evaluated using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

AD was associated with higher utilization and costs across resource categories (all P < .0001); adjusted total incremental annual costs were $3,302. Resource utilization and costs were higher in the more severe group, with adjusted total incremental annual costs of $4,463.

CONCLUSION

AD is associated with significant incremental health care utilization and costs, which are higher in patients with more severe disease.

Effects of non-medical switching on outcomes among patients prescribed tumor necrosis factor inhibitors

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate health care use and outcomes among patients who experienced a non-medical switch of their prescribed anti-tumor-necrosis-factor biological agent (anti-TNF) for cost containment reasons.

METHODS

Retrospective evaluation of Humedica electronic health records of patients ≥18 years old with anti-TNF treatment for immune conditions. Using natural language processing, stable patients who experienced a non-medical switch (for cost reasons) of their anti-TNF between 2007 and 2013 were identified (NMS cohort, n = 158) and matched to patients who did not (control cohort, n = 4804). Rates of office visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations at 30, 90, and 365 days following were evaluated. Medication-related adverse events, defined as subsequent medication change due to a side effect and/or efficacy-related reason were also compared.

RESULTS

Adjusted rates of office visits were higher among the NMS cohort than the control cohort at 30 (46.4% vs. 31.7%, p < .001), 90 (71.0% vs. 57.0%, p < .001), and 365 days (87.8% vs. 76.8%, p < .001). Rates of emergency department use and hospitalization were comparable between cohorts. The NMS cohort had higher adjusted rates of medication-related adverse consequences (both increased side effects and diminished efficacy) than the control cohort at 30 (13.8% vs. 4.0%, p = .003), 90 (31.6% vs 9.6%, p < .001), and 365 days (54.7% vs. 20.3%, p < .001). Compared with controls, the NMS cohort had higher adjusted rates of subsequent medication change within 1 year (27.82% vs. 13.9%, p = .001).

CONCLUSION

Non-medical switching among patients prescribed anti-TNFs was associated with increased health care use, medication-related side effects, and reports of diminished efficacy.

Effect of Adalimumab on Clinical Outcomes and Health-related Quality of Life Among Patients With Ulcerative Colitis in a Clinical Practice Setting: Results From InspirADA

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Randomised trials have described the benefits of adalimumab [ADA] for ulcerative colitis [UC]; however, few data are available on health-related quality of life [HRQL] and health care costs in clinical practice.

METHODS

InspirADA, a multicentre, prospective study, evaluated the effect of ADA in patients with moderate to severe UC treated according to usual clinical practice. Outcomes assessed were: Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index [SCCAI] response/remission rates; changes in HRQL; all-cause direct costs; and UC-related direct and indirect costs from baseline to Week 26.

RESULTS

Data from 463 patients were analysed. At Week 26, 67% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 62%, 71%) of patients achieved response; 48% [95% CI: 44%, 53%] were in remission. For the overall population, significant [all p < 0.001] improvements from baseline to Week 26 were observed for the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [SIBDQ] (mean change ± standard deviation [SD]: 17.4 ± 14.5) and the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Level [EQ-5D-5L] (index: 0.1 ± 0.2; visual analogue scale [VAS]: 19.5 ± 25.8). Parallel improvements were seen in work productivity [11% absolute decrease in absenteeism; 25% absolute decrease in impairment while working; and 27% absolute decrease in impairment of ability to perform daily activities, all p < 0.001]. Among study completers, cumulative all-cause medical costs and UC-related medical costs were significantly [both p < 0.001] reduced by 59% and 77%, respectively, 6 months after initiation of therapy compared with the preceding 6 months. The safety profile of ADA was consistent with that observed in previous clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

ADA therapy in usual clinical practice is effective at improving and maintaining symptomatic control, improving HRQL, and decreasing costs of medical care among patients with UC.