Ghate SR, Ionescu-Ittu R, Burne R, Ndife B, Laliberté F, Nakasato A, Duh MS. Healthcare resource utilization in patients with metastatic melanoma receiving first-line therapy with dabrafenib + trametinib versus nivolumab or pembrolizumab monotherapy.
Curr Med Res Opin 2018;
34:2169-2176. [PMID:
30009647 DOI:
10.1080/03007995.2018.1501351]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To compare healthcare resource utilization (HRU) between patients with metastatic melanoma (MM) initiated on first-line (1L) combination therapy with the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib (D + T; oral) and those initiated on 1 L monotherapy with the anti-PD1 monoclonal antibodies nivolumab or pembrolizumab (N/P; intravenous).
METHODS
Patients with melanoma initiated on D + T or N/P from Q1/2014 to Q2/2016 (defined as 1 L treatment for MM) were identified in the Truven MarketScan database. Entropy balancing was used to reweight the N/P cohort in order to make it comparable to the D + T cohort with respect to the mean and variance of baseline covariates. HRU outcomes during 1 L therapy, reported per patient-year (PPY), were described and compared between the two cohorts post-weighting (i.e. independently of baseline covariates).
RESULTS
Of the 445 patients included, 202 and 243 were initiated on D + T and N/P, respectively. After weighting, patients initiated on N/P had more outpatient visits for drug administration during 1 L therapy than those initiated on D + T (difference = 18.6 visits PPY [95% CI = 16.0-21.1]). Patients initiated on N/P also had more outpatient office visits for reasons other than drug administration (difference = 8.1 visits PPY [95% CI = 1.9-13.7]). No significant differences were observed for other HRU parameters (i.e. inpatient admissions, inpatient days, and emergency department visits during 1 L therapy).
CONCLUSIONS
HRU during 1 L therapy was generally similar between patients initiated on D + T and N/P. Nonetheless, patients initiated on N/P had more outpatient visits, including more outpatient visits for reasons unrelated to drug administration.
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