Health care utilization and productivity loss associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a Swedish nationwide register study

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare and serious disease with a significant impact on the quality of life and life expectancy.

Purpose

To estimate the health care resource utilization (HCRU) and productivity loss associated with PAH five years before and five years after diagnosis in a nationwide setting, compared to a matched control group.

Methods

This retrospective observational case-control study included adult patients diagnosed with PAH and registered in the Swedish PAH registry between January 1, 2008, through June 30, 2019. The control group consisted of five individuals per PAH patient matched on sex, birth year and municipality of residence at the time of PAH patients' diagnosis. The study was based on a dataset of individual level data compiled from several interlinked Swedish national registries. Mean (SD) HCRU (inpatient, outpatient, and drug utilization) and productivity loss (sick leave and disability benefits) were summarized for patients versus controls. Patients and controls with up to five years of follow-up data, i.e. alive and uncensored, were analyzed.

Results

In total 749 PAH patients were included in this study of which, 307 were censored and 234 died during the five-year follow-up period post diagnosis. The mean (SD) age of patients and controls were 61.8 (16.2) years and 64% were female. For the PAH group, the mean number of inpatient admissions and outpatient visits followed a similar trend, with an increase starting three years prior to diagnosis that peaked at the time of diagnosis (Figure 1). After diagnosis, mean inpatient admissions and outpatient visits decreased gradually. For the PAH group, drug utilization began to increase three years before diagnosis (Figure 1) and continued to increase after diagnosis. Controls showed much lower healthcare utilization compared to the PAH group.

In a subgroup of the PAH group (work force participants only, n=449, Figure 1), the mean sick leave days per patient per year (PPPY) was three times higher for the PAH group compared to controls five years before diagnosis. On average, over the full ten-year period mean sick leave days was five times higher for PAH patients compared to controls. Mean disability pension days PPPY for the PAH group followed a similar trend as in- and outpatient utilization. This peaked around time of diagnosis and was eight times higher for the PAH group than controls. An estimation of the societal cost burden (Table 1) showed that the top cost drivers for the PAH group were drug use, disability pension and sick leave.

Conclusions

PAH is associated with a heavy economic burden on both the health care system and society, starting several years before time of diagnosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Actelion Pharmaceuticals, a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson, Allschwil, Switzerland.

Long-term efficacy of novel therapies in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of PASI response

Background

Patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis require long‐term treatment, yet few trials compare outcomes beyond a short‐term induction period. Quantitative comparisons of long‐term outcomes in patients with psoriasis are limited. To our knowledge, no network meta‐analysis (NMA) of such data has been performed.

Objective

To compare novel systemic therapies, both biologic and non‐biologic, approved for moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis by conducting a systematic review (SR) and NMA of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) outcomes measured at or around 1 year.

Methods

An SR was conducted to identify studies reporting PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100 responses. Feasibility of an NMA on maintenance phase endpoints was assessed and sources of heterogeneity considered. Data appropriate for analysis were modelled using a Bayesian multinomial likelihood model with probit link. Wherever possible, data corresponding to an intention‐to‐treat approach with non‐responder imputation were used.

Results

Twenty‐four studies reporting outcomes at 40–64 weeks were identified, but heterogeneity in study design allowed synthesis of only 17. Four 52‐week randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprised the primary analysis, which found brodalumab was significantly more efficacious than secukinumab, ustekinumab and etanercept. Secukinumab was also more efficacious than ustekinumab and both outperformed etanercept. In a secondary analysis, evidence from 13 additional studies and 4 further therapies (adalimumab, apremilast, infliximab and ixekizumab) was included by comparing long‐term outcomes from active interventions to placebo outcomes extrapolated from induction. Results were consistent with the primary analysis: brodalumab was most effective, followed by ixekizumab and secukinumab, then ustekinumab, infliximab and adalimumab. Etanercept and apremilast had the lowest expected long‐term efficacy. Results were similar when studies with low prior exposure to biological therapies were excluded.

Conclusion

Results suggest that brodalumab is associated with a higher likelihood of sustained PASI response, including complete clearance, at week 52 than comparators. Further long‐term active‐comparator RCT data are required to better assess relative efficacy across therapies.

A utility valuation study assessing the impact of postprandial glucose control on quality of life of individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes

Background

Consideration of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in diabetes has been associated with long-term and short-term complications such as hypoglycaemia, but not with short-term glucose control. This study aimed to collect health utilities related to different degrees of poorly controlled postprandial glucose (PPG) and its impact on HRQOL in the UK and in Sweden.

Methods

Three health state descriptions were developed based on literature reviews and interviews with people with diabetes and healthcare professionals, characterising mild, moderate and severe impact of postprandial hyperglycaemic symptoms on HRQOL. Time Trade-Off (TTO) interviews with a 10-year trade-off period were conducted with samples of the UK general public and of Swedish people with diabetes. Mean TTO-derived health state values were expressed on a scale from 0 (death) to 1 (full health).

Results

One hundred fifty participants from the general population were interviewed in the UK (57% female, mean age 35 years) and 150 participants with diabetes in Sweden (64% female, mean age 51 years, 42% type 1 and 58% type 2 diabetes). The mean TTO-derived health state values were for the UK and Swedish participants: mild impact of poorly PPG control (0.89/0.76); moderate (0.75/0.71); severe (0.56/0.58).

Conclusions

Glucose lowering treatments associated with improved control over PPG levels could have important benefits to people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes since findings suggest that increasing severity in postprandial hyperglycaemic symptoms is perceived as having significant negative impact on HRQOL of individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Association of insomnia severity with well-being, quality of life and health care costs: A cross-sectional study in older adults with chronic pain (PainS65+)

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is one of the most common complaints in chronic pain. This study aimed to evaluate the association of insomnia with well-being, quality of life and health care costs.

METHODS

The sample included 2790 older individuals (median age = 76; interquartile range [IQR] = 70-82) with chronic pain. The participants completed a postal survey assessing basic demographic data, pain intensity and frequency, height, weight, comorbidities, general well-being, quality of life and the insomnia severity index (ISI). Data on health care costs were calculated as costs per year (€ prices) and measured in terms of outpatient and inpatient care, pain drugs, total drugs and total health care costs.

RESULTS

The overall fraction of clinical insomnia was 24.6% (moderate clinical insomnia: 21.9% [95% CI: 18.8-23.3]; severe clinical insomnia: 2.7% [95% CI: 1.6-3.2]). Persons who reported clinical insomnia were more likely to experience pain more frequently with higher pain intensity compared to those reported no clinically significant insomnia. Mean total health care costs were € 8469 (95% CI: €4029-€14,271) for persons with severe insomnia compared with € 4345 (95% CI: €4033-€4694) for persons with no clinically significant insomnia. An association between severe insomnia, well-being, quality of life, outpatient care, total drugs costs and total health care costs remained after controlling for age, sex, pain intensity, frequency, body mass index and comorbidities using linear regression models.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results determine an independent association of insomnia with low health-related quality of life and increased health care costs in older adults with chronic pain.

SIGNIFICANCE

The concurrence and the severity of insomnia among older adults with chronic pain were associated with decreased well-being and quality of life, and increased health care costs to society.

Prevalence of different pain categories based on pain spreading on the bodies of older adults in Sweden: a descriptive-level and multilevel association with demographics, comorbidities, medications, and certain lifestyle factors (PainS65+)

Background and objective

There is limited knowledge about the prevalence of pain and its relation to comorbidities, medication, and certain lifestyle factors in older adults. To address this limitation, this cross-sectional study examined the spreading of pain on the body in a sample of 6611 subjects ≥65 years old (mean age = 75.0 years; standard deviation [SD] = 7.7) living in southeastern Sweden.

Methods

Sex, age, comorbidities, medication, nicotine, alcohol intake, and physical activity were analyzed in relation to the following pain categories: local pain (LP) (24.1%), regional pain medium (RP-Medium) (20.3%), regional pain heavy (RP-Heavy) (5.2%), and widespread pain (WSP) (1.7%).

Results

RP-Medium, RP-Heavy, and WSP were associated more strongly with women than with men (all p<0.01). RP-Heavy was less likely in the 80–84 and >85 age groups compared to the 65–69 age group (both p<0.01). Traumatic injuries, rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis, and analgesics were associated with all pain categories (all p<0.001). An association with gastrointestinal disorders was found in LP, RP-Medium, and RP-Heavy (all p<0.01). Depressive disorders were associated with all pain categories, except for LP (all p<0.05). Disorders of the central nervous system were associated with both RP-Heavy and WSP (all p<0.05). Medication for peripheral vascular disorders was associated with RP-Medium (p<0.05), and hypnotics were associated with RP-Heavy (p<0.01).

Conclusion

More than 50% of older adults suffered from different pain spread categories. Women were more likely to experience greater spreading of pain than men. A noteworthy number of common comorbidities and medications were associated with increased likelihood of pain spread from LP to RP-Medium, RP-Heavy, and WSP. Effective management plans should consider these observed associations to improve functional deficiency and decrease spreading of pain-related disability in older adults.